A Place Called Home
by rukia2525
Summary: Jennifer Sullivan thought she was alone but everything changes when she saves a group of strangers in the city. They take her back to their group where everyone welcomes her with open arms, well everyone except Daryl Dixon. In a world where she couldn't trust anyone, Jennifer hesitantly starts to think she may actually be able to call this place home. Daryl/OC. Shane/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**Hey! So this is my first fanfiction ever so don't be too harsh on the criticism.**

**Note: **

_**Italics mean thoughts or flashbacks. **_

**Bold is author's notes**

"**Quotations are just normal dialogue"**

**I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters.**

**Hope you guys enjoy it and please review!**

* * *

Chapter 1:

"Looks like you need some help," The girl said as she revealed her hiding spot. The group had been too preoccupied by the walkers trying desperately to get in to notice the woman. The group quickly found the girl only for the one dressed in police officer attire to raise his gun at her.

"I'm not looking for a fight, but if you want to make it out of here alive I suggest you follow me," with that the woman turned around and started heading towards the roof. Their muffled discussion reached her ears, but soon she heard them following her.

She opened the door to the roof and began walking to the edge. On the way, she passed a man handcuffed to a pipe and a dark-skinned man sitting in the shade of the ledge. When the handcuffed man spotted her, he whistled at her and called her a "fine piece of work". Jennifer ignored his comment she was more focused on survival than some old pervert's comments.

Jennifer was 5'6" with long, dark brown hair and tan skin. Even through the years of hard work my features still remained delicate. My body was well toned from the years of training and conditioning, but they still weren't as muscular as some of the women she had worked with. Her father had always told her that she looked just like her mother, but she never got the chance to find out.

Snapping back into reality, Jennifer gazed down into the walker filled streets below.

"Look," Jennifer said pointing to an abandoned construction site as the plan quickly came to her, "Those construction trucks always have the keys in them."

The officer looked through the binoculars then handed them off to the man with black hair and slight black stubble. He looked at the construction site then down to the street crowded with walkers. "You'll never make it past the walkers."

"You got me out of that tank," The officer said looking at the Asian man.

"Yeah, but they were feeding. They were distracted," He responded backing away from the ledge.

"Can we distract them again?"

"Right. Listen to him. He's on to something," the handcuffed man spoke out, "A diversion, like on 'Hogan's Heroes.'"

"God, give it a rest." The dark-skinned woman with the short hair said.

As they began to explain to the officer how the walkers were able to distinguish them, Jennifer was starting to get irritated. She had been trying to help them escape and they acted as if she wasn't there. She cleared her throat loudly and continued to speak.

"So here's what we do. In the back of this building there's a loading dock with a large roll up door to give trucks easy access. Since a walker's body is decomposing, we will kill one and cover ourselves in its guts. This will cover up our smell from the walkers and we'll be able to easily sneak past them and get to the construction si-"

"What do you mean we?" The blond-haired woman interjected.

"Well, you can't expect me to do this alone. I'll be taking along these two," she said pointing to the officer and the oriental man, "What's all of your names?"

"Rick Grimes," the officer said.

"I'm Glenn," the oriental man said.

The rest of the group introduced themselves and Jennifer learned that the blond woman who interrupted her went by Andrea, the dark-skinned woman with short black hair was Jacqui, the man with black hair and stubble was Morales, the handcuffed man was Merle, and the dark-skinned man was T-Dog.

"W-Why us?" Glenn said swallowing.

"He's a cop so that means he has a gun and knows how to use it. As for you, you obviously know your way around this city so I'll need your help with the distraction," she said grinning at him, "Now I think we should get going if you don't want to become those walkers' next meal."

Again the group descended the stairs. As they did so Glenn spoke up, "If bad ideas were an Olympic event, this would take the gold."

"He's right," Morales said as Jennifer continued gathering the necessary items, "Just stop, okay? Take some time to think this through."

"If you haven't noticed those walkers have already broken through one set of doors, you don't have that much time. Plus, I could have high tailed it out of here and left you to your own demise. If this plan really is that bad then I could still go and leave you here."

The group began to dress in the coats and rubber gloves Jennifer passed out, before heading to the loading dock. Once they were there, Rick and Morales quickly ran out to get a dead walker. Jennifer waited holding the door open with her gun ready to shoot any walker who tried to interfere.

Once inside, Rick broke open the glass box that held the axe they would be using to chop open the walker. He put on a plastic face mask and was about to cut into the geek when he hesitated and stopped. In her line of work Jennifer has seen some horrible things but over all of those things cutting up a corpse and having its organs smeared on her takes the cake. Rick put down the axe and began searching the dead man's pockets as if knowing who he was would make this any less wrong.

"Wayne Dunlap," he spoke looking up at the group, "Georgia license. Born in 1979."

He handed the license off to Glenn. Jennifer took a seat on a nearby box, ready to get this over with.

"He had $28 in his pocket when he died… And a picture of a pretty girl," Rick continued to search the man's wallet, "'with love from Rachel'. He used to be like us, worrying about bills, or the rent, or the super bowl. If I ever find my family, I'm gonna tell them about Wayne."

As he spoke the last part Jennifer rolled her eyes. _You'll probably forget about Wayne the minute his guts are washed off you. You probably won't even remember his face, let alone his name. The only thing you are going to remember about today is that you had your ass saved twice by two strangers and that you were covered in walker's guts. _Jennifer thought to herself as she started kicking her leg.

Rick got back up and put on his protective mask when Glenn said something, "One more thing, he was organ donor."

After that Rick began chopping away. Jennifer just sat there kicking the air while the others turned away grossed out. She did find it pretty disgusting but she didn't know what was worse the sight or the horrible smell of something that has been dead for a long time.

Rick took off his mask and handed it off, along with the axe, to Morales. Jennifer was just happy she didn't have to be the one chopping.

"I'm so gonna hurl," Glenn said with his hands on his knees.

"Later," Rick told him as he backed away from the mangled corpse.

"Everybody got gloves?" Jennifer asked hopping from the crate as Morales removed the mask and put down the axe, "Make sure you don't get any on your skin or in your eyes."

With that they all began smearing organs on the three brave souls. Jennifer didn't mind touching it, what she minded was the horrendous smell it gave off.

"Oh, geez. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad," Glenn said as his shoulders tensed.

"Think about something else puppies and kittens," Jennifer said trying to comfort the poor boy.

"Dead puppies and kittens," T-Dog said only making it worse. Glenn coughed and began vomiting on the floor.

"That is just evil. What is wrong with you?" Andrea said to T-Dog.

"Next time let the cracker beat his ass," Jacqui told T-Dog with some attitude.

"I'm sorry, yo."

"You suck," Glenn said half way bent over.

"Do we smell like them?" Rick asked.

"Oh yeah," Andrea said wrinkling her nose, "Glenn, just in case."

Andrea opened the front of Glenn's coat and tucked a pistol into his waistband.

"If we make it back you have to be ready," Jennifer said to them.

"What about Merle Dixon?" T-Dog asked. Jennifer didn't know what had happened between him and the group earlier but she decided not to interfere, they had a job to do.

Rick removed his glove and produced a key from his pocket, tossing it to T-Dog.

"We need more guts," Jennifer said as Rick took the axe from Morales and began hacking the walker up more.

Before the trio left the loading dock, Rick tried to hand the axe off to Jennifer saying she would need something to defend herself with, but the woman refused and told him he would need it more than she would. Instead she opted to take the bat Morales handed her.

The three of them left the building after Jacqui draped a hand around Jen's neck. They began limping into the pack of walkers trying to imitate their movements. One started growling and got awfully close to Glenn. He turned his back to the creature and had the most terrified face Jen had ever seen on. A white-haired walker with red eyes followed her movements but quickly lost interest and moved on.

They made their way to the end of the alley and got on the ground to look under the tour bus that blocked their path. Crawling under the bus was easy, but peering out to see so many walkers, some walking, some crawling, and even some walking on broken ankles, wasn't as easy.

* * *

"It's gonna work. I can't believe it," Glenn whispered eyeing a walker that was trailing Rick. He was right they were almost to the site, and no walkers had noticed them.

"Don't draw attention," Rick whispered back.

A walker started to catch up to them and walked into the space between Jennifer and Glenn. To avoid recognition, Glenn began growling like a zombie and Jennifer snickered at the odd sounds coming from the man. Although it was quite humorous the growling worked because the zombie soon walked away from the trio to go investigate something else.

_Fuck! Why now?_ Jennifer thought as the rain began to pour down. The three began to speed up their walking in hopes that they would reach the truck before the geeks caught their scent. Unfortunately, as the rain fell harder more of the guts that covered their smell began to fall to the ground. One walker's head started twitching around as the three got closer and as they continued moving, the walkers started to move in.

"The smell's washing off. Isn't it?" Glenn said looking to Jennifer with scared eyes, "Is it washing off?"

"No, it's not," Rick said trying to convince himself more than Glenn. Jennifer knew the small was washing off but she wasn't going to waste her breath telling them, she was determined to get that truck and get out of there. As they passed a male walker it looked Rick up and down then started growling, "Well, maybe."

A walker lunged for Rick almost biting him when Jennifer hit it in the head with the baseball bat, causing it to fall to the ground with its head sunken in.

"Run," she told them as she took off with the geeks following close behind. While making their way down the street the three would hit whatever walker blocked their path.

They made it through the pack and it was a straight shot to the gate keeping them from the construction site. They threw their weapons over the fence and started climbing. Even though the gate was slippery from the rain, having walkers that close behind thee made the climb easy.

Shedding the blood covered jackets and gloves once they got over the fence, Jen, Rick, and Glenn ran for the white truck just as the walkers began climbing the fence. _What the hell? Now they can climb?_ Jen thought as she raised her pistol and shot those who were trying to scale the fence. Rick also did the same and Glenn got the keys to the truck.

"Rick!" he yelled tossing the keys to the officer.

One made it over the fence just as they were getting into the truck. Glenn slammed the door shut and yelled, "Go! Go! Go!" as the walker scratched at his window.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. They're all over that place," Glenn said starting to freak out. They drove from the construction site breaking through the metal gate. Looking back, Jen saw that the walkers had broken down the gate and were now headed this way.

"We need to draw them away," Jennifer explained, "We need to clear those roll up doors back at the store. Call your friends and tell them to get their asses down there and be ready."

"And we're drawing the geeks away how? I-I missed that part," Glenn said frantically.

"Noise."

* * *

The sound of glass shattering filled the air followed by a loud car alarm. Glenn stood back covering his ears as Jennifer broke into the red Challenger. She jammed the screw driver into the keyhole and got the car running in no time.

"Get in," She told Glenn as she got into the driver's seat. It hand been a while since she drove a Challenger but she would get used to it. Revving the engine, she pulled out into the walker infested streets. The walkers' attention quickly turned to the car with its loud alarm still going off. Following Rick as he drove the white truck back to the store, she turned and the car went sliding only to have her speed up and pass the white truck.

"Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street, meet us there and be ready," Glenn said into the radio.

Glenn and Jen were flying down the streets when they passed a block filled with walkers. Jennifer put the car in reverse and backed into the street, drawing the mindless walkers' attention.

"Come on. Come on," Glenn said. The walkers began moving towards the car but Jen continued backing away. Soon, the walkers were hovering over the hood reaching out to grab the two.

"Just a little closer," Jennifer whispered. She continued taunting the walkers until they were running after the car. Once they were focused on the car she quickly backed up, spun the car around, and gunned it before the walkers could catch up. Just as she was rounding the corner she caught sight of the white truck pulling on the street. Knowing she wouldn't need to distract them that much longer, Jennifer went around a few blocks and began losing the walkers.

"Woo-hoo! Yeah- hoo!" The two yelled as they sped down the highway, exiting the overrun city.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hope you enjoy and please review! I'm always open to suggestions!**

**Bold is author's note**

_I italics is thoughts, flashbacks, or emphasis on words_

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

* * *

Chapter 2:

"We're here. Come out and meet everyone," Glenn said as he began to get out of the driver side of the car. After they left the city, Glenn was having trouble explaining where to go so Jennifer suggested that he drive. The loud car alarm continued to go off, but being so far away from the city there probably wasn't any walkers around to hear. Even with that in mind, she kept her guard up just in case.

When Glenn got out of the car everyone started trying to talk to him at once. The man on top of the RV was yelling something, a man with curly hair was talking to him while pointing to the car, and a blond woman was frantically trying to get his attention. They were so caught up in what was going on that they didn't notice Jennifer still in the car. She sat there with her head upward breathing out a long sigh. She hadn't even met these people yet and they already irritated her.

"Pop the hood!" she heard someone yell. She then heard Glenn fumble around inside the car until the hood opened. When the car alarm stopped she could hear the girl outside asking about her sister and if she made it. Glenn finally answered the girl's questions telling her that everyone was fine except for Merle.

"Are you crazy, driving this wailing bastard up here? Are you trying to draw every walker for miles?" A man with a husky voice yelled giving Jen a headache.

"I think we're okay," A different man spoke his voice more hoarse and distant from the first.

"You call being stupid okay?" The same first man snapped back.

"The alarms has been echoing all through the hills so it'll be hard to pinpoint the source," Jennifer said when she finally got out of the car.

All eyes were on her as the others and then the man with the curly brown hair asked, "And who the hell are you?"

"I'm Jennifer Sullivan," she said snapped at him, "Who are you?"

"It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time, would it?" the hoarse voice said completely ignoring Jennifer's question. Jen looked over and saw an older man with white hair and black eyebrows.

"Sorry," Glenn said, "Got a cool car."

Jennifer heard as the truck she knew to be carrying Rick and the others approach. Within seconds she saw Andrea hug the blond girl who had been questioning Glenn about her sister. She heard two children yelling Papi as they ran to hug Morales; they were followed by a woman who Jen assumed was their mother. Even though she didn't really like people, it made her feel good that she was able to reunite these two families. It reminded her of her life before the outbreak.

She watched as a brunette woman ushered a pale boy with brown hair away from the area. She was whispering to him something Jennifer couldn't hear as the boy's face filled with disappointment.

"Hey helicopter boy! Come say hello." Morales yelled as Rick began walking toward the group with his hands on his hips, "The guy's a cop like you."

When Rick was near enough to see the faces of the group members his face lit up in recognition. Jennifer eyed the group and noticed the man with the curly brown hair had the same look. Jennifer figured that they knew each other, probably worked together because as Morales said they were both cops.

The boy that had been talking to the woman with brown hair slowly turned to Rick. As he did happiness covered his features and he began running towards Rick yelling, "Dad! Dad!" The two embraced and fell to the ground. The woman who had been talking to the boy was running behind him until the father and son hugged, she then stood a few feet away disbelief on her face. Rick closed the distance between the two and soon the family was reunited.

"How'd y'all get out of there anyway?" the curly haired man asked as the family continued hugging.

"New Girl, she got us out." Glenn said pointing to Jennifer who was leaning against the hood of the car with her arms folded, a smile found its way one her face.

The brunette woman heard this and released her family. She walked up to Jennifer and brought her into a hug. "Thank you," she whispered hugging the stranger. Not knowing what to do, Jen just put her arms around the woman and hugged her back.

* * *

Jennifer and Rick were introduced to the remaining members of the group and soon they surrounded the small fire. Rick was going on about how he felt so disoriented when everything began. He explained how he had been in a coma and Jennifer could only be surprised he made it this far.

She looked around at all the faces surrounding the camp fire. Lori was staring at her husband, Carl was staring off into space about to fall asleep in his father's lap, and Shane kept picking his eyes up to look at Rick. T-Dog and Glenn were staring down into the fire as if mesmerized by the dancing flames as Rick continued speaking.

As Jennifer stared into the flames she thought about her old life when she didn't have to worry about getting eaten alive. She thought of her family and wished they could be here, alive. She wondered when this thing would end, if it ended.

The crackle of the flame brought her back to reality and she saw end sit back in his chair after putting a log on the fire. The fire grew in size and Jennifer worried someone, or rather something, might spot them.

"Hey, Ed, you want to rethink that log?" Shane asked just as Jennifer thought it. Everyone turned to look at him. Him and his family were sharing a fire of their own a distance off. So far Jennifer did not like Ed that much. He was a fat, lazy pig who tried to act in control.

"It's cold."

"The cold don't change the rules, does it?" Shane asked him. Jen noticed Ed's wife, Carol, and his daughter, Sophia, were huddled together sharing a blanket, "Keep our fires low just embers so we can't be seen from a distance, right?"

"I said it's cold. You should mind your own business for once."

Shane got up and walked over to Ed, "Hey, Ed, are you sure you want to have this conversation, man?" Shane asked in a low voice.

As Shane stood there Ed just stared at him until he finally broke and said, "Go on. Pull the damn thing out. Go on!" Carol rose from her place and began pulling out the log. _What an asshole,_ Jennifer thought to herself turning away from the scene.

"Hey, Carol, Sophia, How are y'all this evening?" Jennifer heard Shane as he began talking in a low voice to the mother and daughter.

"Fine. We're just fine," she said in a soft voice. She seemed to be trying to convince herself of that fact more than Shane.

"Okay," Shane said.

"Sorry about the fire," Carol began.

"No, No, No," Shane quickly said, "No apology needed. Y'all have a good night, okay?"

"Thank you," Carol practically whispered to the man.

"I appreciate the cooperation," Shane said as he made his way back to the group.

"Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon?" Dale asked as Shane took the empty space between T-Dog and Jennifer, "He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind."

"I'll tell him," Shane said in a worn out voice.

"I dropped the key. It's on me," T-Dog spoke up.

"I cuffed him. That makes it mine," Rick continued his arm placed around his wife's shoulders.

"Guys, it's not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy." Glenn said ending their feud over who should tell Daryl.

"I did what I did. Hell if I'm gonna hide from him."

"We could lie," Amy said. She was sitting next to her sister with her head on Andrea's shoulder.

"Or tell the truth," Jennifer spoke. She had been informed, along with the others, of what happened before she arrived to save the group, "According to what you have said, Merle was out of control and something had to be done or all of you would have been killed. Rick did what was necessary. And if Merle got left behind, it's his own fault."

"And that's what we tell Daryl?" Dale questioned looking to the group. Jennifer didn't know Daryl, but she was confident she could hold her ground against any man, even if that man is someone like Merle Dixon, "I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that, do you? Word to the wise, we're gonna have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt."

"I was scared and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it," T-Dog said standing his ground.

"We were all scared. We all ran what's your point?" Andrea asked. _At least you didn't have to walk through geek infested streets with a hand dangling from your neck,_ Jennifer thought to herself rolling her eyes.

"I stopped long enough to chain that door staircase is narrow. Maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at any one time. It's not enough to break through that- not that chain not that padlock. My point- Dixon's alive and he's still up there, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us," after that T-Dog walked away from the fire off into the camp somewhere.

The group began to disperse and Jennifer was left questioning where she was going to sleep for the night. The only remaining person outside was Shane. Jennifer decided to go talk to him about where to crash.

"Hey, Shane," Jennifer called out as she walked closer to the RV. Shane was on top sitting in the chair watching the woods. When he heard her he looked down, "Do you know where I can sleep?"

"I guess you're gonna have to sleep in my tent. All the other tents are full," He said back to her as the thunder rumbled in the background.

When Jennifer entered the tent she found a clean little space that looked relatively comfortable. The only problem was that there was only one cot to sleep on. Jennifer didn't want to take Shane's bed, but then she thought he might just keep watch all night so he wouldn't need his cot.

The girl began removing her attire. She started with her pistol, its holster, her knife, and her boots. She then continued with her green shirt and jeans so she was left standing in her black tank top and black underwear. She quickly got under the warm covers and within minutes she was asleep.

* * *

It was a little after midnight when Shane crept into his tent. T-Dog had come out to relieve him of his watch duty so he was free to go to bed. He was disappointed when he entered his tent because his bed was occupied by the new girl. He had forgotten that he told her she could sleep in his tent.

Soon, he got over it and got comfortable on the ground. He had trouble going to sleep because he couldn't stop thinking about his best friend finding them and how he survived. Shane was sure he would be dead. He also thought about what Rick's return would do to the relationship between him and Lori.

* * *

The sun was shining through the tent's thin veil when Jennifer woke up that morning. Last night was the first full night of sleep she had had in a while. She enjoyed the feeling that she didn't have to worry about walkers sneaking up on her.

She could hear the kids playing outside as she rubbed her eyes, and began to get up. She noticed that the clothes she wore there were replaced with a pair of jeans and a gray shirt. The jeans were a little too big but that's what belts are for. She put on her combat boots, then her pistol holster, and finally she strapped her knife onto her belt.

When Jennifer exited the tent she saw Rick making his way to the center of camp. She decided to follow responding with "Morning" when people told her good morning. Jennifer made her way to Carol who had Jen's clothes from yesterday spread out across an ironing board along with Rick's uniform.

"They're still a little damp. The sun'll have 'em dry in no time," Carol said when Jennifer and Rick got close enough to hear.

"You washed our clothes?" Rick asked the short haired woman. Jennifer looked down at them and noticed that all the blood marks on her clothes were now gone.

"Well, best we could. Scrubbing on a washboard ain't half as good as my old Maytag back home," She said glancing up at Rick and Jennifer and looking back down at what she was doing.

"That's very kind. Thank you," Rick said trying to look the woman in the eye.

"Thanks," Jennifer whispered looking down at her clothes. She appreciated the gesture, but she didn't really mind the blood stains, they showed people not to mess with her.

Everyone was moving along through the camp doing their own thing so Jennifer decided to go talk to Glenn. He was standing watching as Morales, Jim, and Dale scavenged what they could from the Challenger.

"Look at 'em, vultures," Glenn said to Jennifer crossing his arms, "Yeah, go on, strip it clean." This time he was speaking directly to the three men working on the car.

"Generators need every drop of fuel they can get got no power without it. Sorry Glenn" Dale said as he waddled over to Glenn and Jennifer, the gas can he held was making him lean to one side. He stopped to pat Glenn on the shoulder but was soon waddling off again.

"Thought I'd get to drive it at least a few more days," Glenn said with disappointment.

"Maybe we can steal another one someday," Jennifer said smirking at Glenn. Before she could walk off Shane came speeding up in his black Jeep.

"Water's here, y'all," he said when the Jeep stopped, "Just a reminder to boil before use."

_Did he really have to drive off somewhere to get water? There's perfectly good water down in the quarry,_ Jennifer thought to herself as Shane exited the Jeep nodding at Rick and his wife. Jennifer helped Andrea as she began unloading the water.

"If he's such a big man going out to get water why do we have to unload it?" Jennifer asked Andrea.

Before the blond could answer a blood chilling scream came from the woods. "Mom!" Jennifer heard Carl yell over the scream.

"Carl?" Lori yelled back. Jennifer put the water on the ground and made a break for the forest. She pulled her pistol out of the holster and followed the group through the woods to the source of the scream. They found Carl, Sophia, and a small blond girl running back towards the camp.

"You're okay! I've got him. I've got him," Lori said frantically as she pulled the boy towards her, "Nothing bit you? Nothing scratched you?"

"No, I'm okay."

The mothers held onto to their children while a group ran into a thicker portion of the woods. In a small clearing they found a walker munching on a defenseless deer. Jennifer was walking beside Amy and Andrea when they came into the clearing. Amy gasped and grabbed her sister, ducking her head so she couldn't see. Jennifer wasn't afraid of it so she moved in closer with her pistol ready to fire.

The walker began to notice the group but Rick hit it in the head before it could do anything. The group of men continued beating the walker with their blunt objects until Dale finally hacked the creature's head off with his ax. The men backed away breathing heavily.

"It's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain," Dale said wiping his brow.

"Well, they're running out of food in the city, that's what," Jim responded to the elderly man. Shane wiped his nose as he looked at Jennifer. She still had her pistol in hand only it was lowered. He eyed her but looked away when the girl caught his eye.

A branch snapped and footsteps could be heard coming from behind a bush, before any of the men could react Jennifer already had her gun poised and ready to shoot. Then, unexpectedly, a man with dark brown hair and a crossbow walked out of the woods. Jennifer assumed that this was Merle's brother, Daryl, who everyone had been talking about.

"Oh, Jesus," Shane muttered under his breath.

"Son of a bitch," Daryl said loudly as he went to inspect the animal, "That's my deer!"

"Look at it. All gnawed on by this… Filthy," Daryl kicked the dead walker's body, "disease-bearing," another kick to the walker's ribs, "motherless," another kick, "poxy," another kick, "bastard," and one final kick.

"Calm down, son. That's not helping," Dale said.

"What do you know about it, old man?" Daryl said getting in Dale's face. If he was getting in Jennifer's face like that she would have just punched him right there, "Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to 'on golden pond'?"

"I've been tracking this deer for miles," he continued while walking over to the deer and pulling out the arrows in its body, "Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do you think? Do you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?"

"I would not risk that," Shane answered.

"That's a damn shame," Daryl said sighing, "I got some squirrel about a dozen or so that'll have to do."

Just then the walker's head opened its eyes and began snapping around.

"Oh god," Amy said and Andrea led her away. Jennifer thought it was a little ridiculous that a simple walker head grossed her out so much. _Well, it's a good thing she wasn't in the city that day._

"Come on, people. What the hell?" Daryl said firing an arrow into the geek's eye. He put his foot on its forehead and pulled the arrow from its eye socket, "It's gotta be the brain. Don't y'all know nothing?"

The redneck started making his way back to the camp yelling, "Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up."

"Daryl, just slow up a bit I need to talk to you," Shane said making the man stop in his tracks.

"About what?"

"About Merle. There was a… there was a problem in Atlanta."

Daryl looked from Shane to the others in the group as if he didn't believe what Shane was telling him.

"He dead?"

"We're not sure."

"He either is or he ain't!" Daryl yelled obviously Shane struck a nerve with his vague explanation.

"No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it," Rick stepped up.

"Who are you?" Daryl spat eyeing rick.

"Rick Grimes."

"Rick Grimes," Daryl mocked Rick, "You got something you want to tell me?"

"Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, and hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there."

"Hold on. Let me process this," the redneck said turning to Rick, "You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?!"

"Yeah."

Jennifer watched as anger consumed Daryl's features. He threw the squirrels he had been holding onto at Rick and was making a move towards him when Shane pushed Daryl onto the ground. The man quickly got up pulling out a mean looking hunting knife.

"Watch the knife!" someone yelled to Rick.

Daryl swung at Rick with the knife but he was able to evade it. After a couple of swings Rick was able to grab Daryl's arm making him drop the blade. Shane came up behind Daryl and wrapped his arms around his neck putting him into a headlock.

"You'd best let me go!" Daryl yelled struggling to get out of Shane's grip.

"Nah, I think it's better if I don't," Shane responded.

"Choke hold's illegal."

"You can file a complaint," Shane said bringing Daryl to the ground, "Come on man, we can keep this up all day."

"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic. Do you think we can manage that?" Rick asked getting down to Daryl's level, "Do you think we can _manage_ that?"

Daryl was breathing hard when he muttered a low, "Yeah," After he responded Shane released his grip on him and threw him to the ground. Rick and Shane stood back up while Daryl caught his breathe on the ground.

"What I did was not on a whim," Rick got back down so him and Daryl were face to face, "Your brother does not work and play well with others."

"It's not Rick's fault. I had the key," Jennifer turned realizing T-Dog had walked up, "I dropped it."

"You couldn't pick it up?" Daryl said to T-Dog as if the man were an idiot.

"Well, I dropped it in a drain."

Jennifer watched as the man got on his hands blocking his face from the others. Quickly, Daryl picked himself up off the ground telling them, "If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't."

"Maybe this will. Look, I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him with, a padlock."

"It's gotta count for something," Rick told Daryl.

There was a moment of silence as Daryl wiped his eyes. "Hell with all y'all!" Daryl yelled his voice cracking, "Just tell me where he is so's I can go get him."

"He'll show you. Isn't that right?" Lori jumped into the conversation. Jen thought it would be better to stay out of the conversation. She wasn't there when it went down she felt it wasn't her place to get involved. But apparently everyone else in the camp didn't feel this way.

"I'm going back," Rick said more to the group than his wife.

After that discussion the group began to disperse. Daryl headed to his tent getting his things together for the trip to the city.

"Are my clothes dry?" Jennifer asked Carol.

"Yeah," she said smiling at Jennifer as she handed her the neatly folded pile of clothes. Jennifer nodded at Carol and headed back to Shane's tent. She quickly changed and went outside to await the trip into the city.

* * *

"You saved me earlier," Jennifer had been sitting around the camp when a small voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Standing in front of her was a small blond girl she didn't see her first night there. The girl didn't look that old only about 6 and her clear green eyes stared up at. Her blond hair was nearly as pale as her white skin. Staring at this little girl reminded Jennifer of someone she once knew, someone she wanted to forget.

"I made this for you," the little girl said sticking a picture into Jennifer's face. Jennifer thought it looked like a flower, but with all the colorful scribbles on the page she couldn't really tell.

"Oh… Um thanks," Jen said taking the paper from the little girl.

"And you better not throw it away," the little girl said pointing at Jennifer with a serious face on.

"I won't," Jennifer said folding the picture and sticking it in her pocket.

"Promise!" the girl said raising her voice.

"Look, I already told you I wouldn't throw it away," Jennifer said raising her voice just as much.

"No! You gotta promise!" the little girl said getting in Jennifer face.

"Fine! Geez kid I promise," Jennifer said throwing her hands up in frustration.

With that the little girl trotted away to go play with the other kids. Quickly replacing her though was Carol.

"Looks like you met Sam," Carol said sitting next to Jennifer.

"That's her name?" Jennifer asked looking at Carol.

"Yeah, she's Paul's daughter," Carol said as she watched the kids playing, "He lost his wife when all this started. Hasn't really been the same since."

"Yeah, I know how he feels," Jennifer said. Before Carol could question what Jennifer had said, Shane and Rick came strolling into the area talking.

"Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?" Shane asked.

"Ey, Choose your words more carefully," Daryl told Shane.

"No, I did. Douche bag's what I meant," Shane told Daryl making Jennifer smirk, "Merle Dixon. The guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst."

"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me," Rick told Shane matter-of-factly, "_I _Can't let a man die of thirst, me. Thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being."

"So you and Daryl, that's your big plan?" Lori said as if the idea were preposterous. Rick breathed out and turned his attention to Glenn.

"Oh, come on," he said obviously not enjoying this plan.

"You know the way. You've been there before, in and out, no problem. You said so yourself," Glenn removed his hat running his hand through his dark hair thinking the situation over, "It's not fair of me to ask- I know that- but I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too."

"That's just great. Now you're gonna risk three men, huh?" Shane questioned.

"Four," T-Dog said.

Daryl scoffed telling the group, "My day just gets better and better, don't it?"

"You see anybody else here stepping up to save your brother's cracka ass?"

"Why you?" Daryl said focusing on cleaning his arrows.

"You wouldn't even begin to understand. You don't speak my language."

"That's four," Dale spoke.

"It's not just four. You're putting every single one of us at risk. Just know that, Rick," Shane said waiting a moment for it to sink in, "Come on, you saw that walker. It was _here_. It was in camp. They're moving out of the cities. They come back, we need every able body we've got. We need 'em here. We need 'em to _protect_ camp."

"It seems to me what you really need most here are more guns."

"Right, the guns," Glenn said.

"Wait, what guns?" Shane asked.

"Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. It's just sitting there on the street, waiting to be picked up."

"Ammo?"

"700 rounds, assorted."

"You went through hell to find us. You just got here and you're gonna turn around and leave?" Lori asked. Jennifer thought they were all blowing this way out of proportion. It was a simple trip to the city.

"Dad, I don't want you to go," Carl said looking at his father with sad eyes.

"To hell with the guns. Shane is _right. _Merle Dixon? He's not worth one of your lives, even with guns thrown in. Tell me. Make me understand."

"Look that's enough, I'm going back into the city regardless if any of you come or not," Jennifer took stand tired of hearing all that bullshit.

"What makes you think you're coming Barbie?" Daryl asked her coldly.

"You need guns, I know where to get some. Plus, all of my stuff is stashed away out there," she snapped at him, "I can handle my own."

"Oh yeah?" Daryl asked standing up and getting in her face. He quickly grabbed her arm spinning her around. She was positioned so that if she were to move Daryl could easily snap her wrist, "Prove it."

"Okay, just remember you asked for it," she smirked. She quickly elbowed him in the stomach making him lose his grip. She then flipped him over her back and he fell to the ground back first. She sat on his stomach pinning down his arms with her knees. Daryl felt the cool touch of a blade against his neck before he realized what was happening.

"It seems you don't know me too well _Daryl_," the way she said his name sounded as if she had something sour in her mouth, "I'm Captain Jennifer Sullivan. Captain, as in I was in the military for ten years, so you might not want to mess with me."

She got up off of him and noticed everyone was staring at her wide-eyed. They couldn't believe what they just saw.

"Here's your knife Dixon," she said dropping the knife next to the redneck. She began walking away but back tracked, "Oh, and one more thing, Barbie is a blond, I'm obviously a brunette."

* * *

"We walk from here," Glenn said parking the white truck on some old railroad tracks. Daryl opened the truck's slide up door and jumped out. T-Dog and Jennifer followed while Rick and Glenn got out of the cab. The five ran down the railroad tracks to along a high chain-link fence. Once they were a good distance from the truck Glenn opened up a hole in the fence. The group filed through the hole one-by-one.

"Merle first or guns?" Rick asked just as T-Dog made it through the fence.

"Merle," Daryl said walking forward, "We ain't even havin' this conversation."

"We are," Rick said putting emphasis on the statement, "You know the geography. It's your call."

"Merle's closet. The guns would mean doubling back," Glenn said as he jogged to catch up with Rick's fast pace, "Merle first."

"Okay, while we go get Merle, why don't you go get your belongings?" Rick asked Jennifer.

"No," Jennifer said sternly earning her an odd look from Rick, "I'm staying with you just in case something like last time happens."

Rick nodded in agreement not wanting to go through what happened last time again.

They found their way to the store and crept through the dim store. Hey heard the shuffling of feet and the low growling meaning it could only be one thing. A walker. Rick signaled that the walker was there to the members of the group. He then backed away as Daryl closed in with his crossbow ready.

"Damn. You are one ugly skank," he whispered before pulling the trigger of his crossbow sending an arrow straight through the walker's head. There was the sounds of bones cracking and a heavy thud when she hit the ground. Daryl ripped the arrow out of the walker's head and shook it off a bit. Little chunks of brain flew to the ground as he did so.

The group made their way to the staircase slowly scoping out the area for walkers, but when they made it to the stairs then began hauling ass to the roof. T-Dog cut the padlock with Dale's bolt cutters and began pulling away the chain. The chain hit the floor and Daryl kicked the door open and ran out.

At first, Jennifer couldn't see the man that had been sitting there but when she got closer she realized what had happened.

"No! No!" Daryl yelled his voice breaking and his eyes watering a little. He looked up at T-Dog with hatred in his eyes.

The worse thing about it was that Daryl couldn't know if his brother was dead or alive because all that sat there was a bloody saw and Merle's dismembered hand.


	3. Chapter 3

**So I'm watching The Walking Dead episodes and does it seem like the area around Merle's hand get bloodier between episode 3 and episode 4, or am just crazy?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

**Hope you guys enjoy and leave a review please! :D**

* * *

Chapter 3:

We slowly approached Daryl eyeing Merle's lonesome, bloody hand. Daryl was breathing hard moving to and fro. It seemed the man didn't know what to do with himself. That was until he turned quickly aiming his crossbow at T-Dog's head. Rick didn't hesitate cocking his gun and pushing it into the side of Daryl's head.

They were frozen in silence for a moment until Rick spoke, "I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."

Daryl took a moment to weigh his options. He could shoot T-Dog and get revenge for his brother, but that would mean throwing his own life away. His lip was quivering and his eyes watered, but he dropped his crossbow before anything could be done. He valued his life much more than vengeance for his brother, even if he was stuck in this apocalyptic hell. Rick lowered his gun pushing the hammer back in place.

"You got a do-rag or somethin'?" Daryl asked after taking a moment to collect himself. T-Dog produced a blue bandanna from his pocket keeping an eye on the redneck. He watched Daryl with caution as if he were a dangerous animal ready to pounce.

Daryl snatched the cloth from T's hand and walked over to his brother's hand.

"I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs," he said picking up his brother's hand by the pinkie and inspecting it, "Ain't that a bitch."

He then placed the hand on the cloth and folded it up. _Guess we need something to bury, _Jennifer thought as she watched Daryl motion for Glenn. He walked over to the poor boy, unzipping his backpack, and stuffing the hand inside. Glenn had an unpleasant look on his face as Daryl jerked him around trying to get the hand inside.

"He must have used a tourniquet, maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't," Daryl said following the trail of blood drops on the ground. Daryl was right, but even if he used a tourniquet, there was still a lot of blood covering the ground.

"Come on," Rick said nodding to Jennifer, T-Dog, and Glenn to follow.

The blood trail led the group to another open rooftop door. Daryl was leading with his crossbow poised, Jennifer was behind him was her pistol in hand, then came Rick with his Python, Glenn without a weapon, and T-Dog with the bag of tools in the rear.

"Merle? You in here?" Daryl yelled as the group descended a wooden staircase. The stairs beneath them were creaking so loudly that Jennifer was sure any walker in the building would hear them coming.

They made their way into a room with a walker standing. Its back was turned to them so when it turned around a walker with its jaw hanging to its chest was revealed. Before Jennifer could do anything the walker fell to the floor with an arrow stuck between its eyes. Daryl pulled his arrow out of the walker's skull before the group continued.

They then passed through a doorway and began scoping out the hallway. They entered a reception room at the end of the hallway and found two dead walkers lying face down.

"Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches," Daryl said making his way around the first walker, "One handed."

Jennifer was impressed. The guy was a dirty redneck, but he had a strong will to live.

"Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother," Daryl continued. He started reloading his crossbow and Jennifer watched as his massive biceps flexed, "Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."

"Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is," Rick said as the group continued forward.

"Merle!" Daryl shouted.

"We're not alone here. Remember?" Rick told Daryl sternly.

"Screw that," Daryl said, "He could be bleeding out. You said so yourself."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Jennifer said. She had ventured a little farther from the group when she had come to a little kitchen area. The stove was on with blood smeared on it. Next to the burner was an old iron with blood and skin hanging onto it, "He must have cauterized the wound."

"What's that burned stuff?" Glenn asked as Rick picked up the iron.

"Skin," Jennifer said. This made Glenn swallow hard and look away from the scene.

"Told you he was tough," Daryl told Rick as he put the iron back down, "Nobody can kill Merle but Merle."

"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood," Rick said pessimistically.

"Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap." Daryl said walking towards the back of the kitchen. The group followed and found a window with one pane shattered.

"He busted out of the building? Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn asked them.

"Why wouldn't he? He's out there alone as far as he knows," Daryl said backing away from the window. Rick stuck his head out the window looking at the stairs below.

"Yeah, and who would want to stay pent up in this building with walkers?" Jennifer asked, "He's just doing what he must to survive."

"You call that surviving? Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out?" T-Dog questioned, "What are his odds out there?"

"No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks," Daryl said. T-Dog looked down ashamed and Glenn rubbed between his eyes, "You couldn't kill him. Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard."

"What about 1,000 dumb dead bastards?" Rick asked. Daryl had gotten in his face but Rick didn't back down, instead he just got closer staring into Daryl's eyes, "Different story?"

"Why don't you take a tally?" Daryl spat back, "Do what you want. I'm gonna go get him."

"Why don't of all you shut the fuck up and do something? You're giving me a headache with all of your bickering," Jennifer said as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "I would imagine he hasn't gotten far with that injury so why don't we check a few blocks, but only if you stop fighting."

Daryl threw Jennifer a cold annoyed look but she threw a bored look at him that asked 'seriously?' She wasn't going to give in to him no matter what kind of looks he gave her.

"I could do that," Daryl finally said. Jennifer looked to Rick who nodded. She then turned her gaze to T-Dog awaiting his conformation.

"Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?" T-Dog said. He did have a good point; Rick, Jen, and Daryl were the only ones with guns. They could use the tools but those wouldn't help if they were overrun by walkers again.

* * *

"You're not doing this alone," Rick said after Glenn began to explain the beginning of his plan.

"Even I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you much," Daryl said sitting on a filing cabinet.

"It's a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out," Glenn said trying to make them see his way, "If we go out there in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast."

"Look," Glenn continued. He had drawn a diagram of the city with dry erase marker, using clips and paper to represent different things, "That's the tank, five blocks from where we are now," he placed a black clip in the center of the scale, "That's the bag of guns," he said placing a crumpled up sticky note next to the clip.

"Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met," he said placing his finger on the alley next to the tank, "That's where Daryl and I will go."

"Why me?" Daryl asked a little confused. He had just told the guy he didn't like him and now he wanted him to accompany him to get the guns.

"Your crossbow is quieter than their guns," Glenn said. After a moment Glenn continued explaining his plan, "While Daryl waits here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag."

"You got us elsewhere?" Rick asked.

"Right, You, Jennifer, and T-Dog. You'll be in this alley here," he said placing an eraser two blocks from the tank.

"Two blocks away? Why?" Rick asked confused.

"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won't go back to Daryl. I'll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are. Whichever directions I go, I got you in both places to cover me."

"What about going to get my stuff?" Jennifer asked.

"Afterwards, we'll all meet back here. Then we'll head for your place, get your stuff, and get out of here."

"Hey, kid what'd you do before all this?" Daryl asked.

"Delivered pizzas. Why?"

* * *

Jennifer led T-Dog and Rick down the alley with her knife in hand. There were only a few walkers so she easily took them out with a clean stab to the head. They made it to their specified alley and watched as Glenn went for the guns. Glenn scooped up the bag up guns and ran one way but quickly flipped around and grabbed Rick's hat.

"He has the guns," Jennifer whispered to the others. They were watching behind them to make sure no walkers snuck up on them. While she watched Glenn to make sure nothing went wrong on his end.

"Ayudame! Ayudame!" The trio heard someone yell and looked at each other. They then began to run to the alley where Daryl was. They heard the screams again put they were soon muffled by something. With Jennifer in the lead, T-Dog and Rick followed at a rapid pace. She put her knife back in her knife holder and pulled out her pistol, just in case.

The three came speeding down the alley and found Daryl standing there holding the fence closed trying not to let one of the many walkers outside of it in. There was a kid with him and when he secured the gate he grabbed the kid by the shirt and threw him into the wall.

Rick intervened before Daryl could hurt the kid so Jennifer grabbed the kid and held him to the wall.

"I'm gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!" Daryl yelled trying to get pass Rick.

"Let me go!" The boy said squirming under Jennifer's grasp.

"Shut up!" she said holding his scrawny body down.

"They took Glenn. That little bastard and little bastard homie friends," Daryl said over the growling walkers behind him, "I'm gonna stomp your ass!"

"Guys! Guys! We're cut off!" T-Dog yelled as the sound of the chain-link fence rattling got louder.

"Get to the lab. Go," Rick said pointing to T-Dog and Jennifer. They grabbed the boy each taking one arm and drug him back to the lab. Daryl and Rick followed after grabbing the bag of guns. They made it into building and forced the boy to sit down so they could question him.

"Those men you were with, we need to know where they went," Rick told the boy.

"I ain't telling you nothing."

"Jesus, man. What the hell happened back there?" T-Dog asked.

"I told you, this little turd and his douchebag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me," Daryl said as he paced around the small space in front of their prisoner.

"You're the one who jumped me, _puto_," the boy said looking at Daryl. Jennifer was getting bored with all this talking; she was ready to go to her apartment, get Glenn, and leave. First, they would have to get this kid to talk, Jennifer knew a few ways to get him to squeal, but Rick might not appreciate her methods, "screaming about trying to find his brother like it's my damn fault."

"They took Glenn. Could have taken Merle too," Daryl said in defense.

"Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle," the boy said striking a nerve in Daryl.

He went to make a move towards the boy but was, once again, cut off by Rick. He tried kicking him but the boy flinched away before he was hit. "Damn it, Daryl. Back off." Rick said trying to control the man. As he pushed Daryl back the redneck eyed the boy in the chair. He then made his way over to the backpack Glenn had been wearing and started digging through it. He removed the blue bandanna that held his brothers hand.

"Wanna see what happened to the last guy that pissed me off?" Daryl asked as he began unwrapping the bandanna. He looked to Rick for conformation before turning and throwing the hand into the boy's lap.

The hand hit his lap with a wet smack. It took him a second but when he realized what it was he got up out of the chair screaming. He fell to the ground and backed up until he was against the wall.

"Start with the feet this time," Daryl said grabbing the screaming boy by his shirt. Rick pulled Daryl off of the boy before Daryl could do any damage. The boy looked to Daryl with wide, fearful eyes. Jennifer just watched the scene before her. The boy might not have known it but she knew Daryl's threats were empty. He might be able to land a punch or two on the boy but Rick would never let anything more than that happen.

"The men you were with took our friend. All we want to do is talk to them, see if we can work something out," Rick said as he kneeled down to get level with the boy. He was silent before he nodded in agreement.

"Finally," Jennifer said, "I'm ready to get out of this awful city."

"Makes two of us," Daryl grunted as the group got ready to leave.

* * *

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Rick asked Jennifer.

"Why wouldn't I be? I've been doing stuff like this for ten years," Jennifer hissed at him. She hated when people treated her like she was weak and couldn't protect herself. Just because she was a women didn't mean she couldn't protect herself. Hell, she had been protecting herself since this thing started. She didn't need to rely on anyone but herself for survival.

They were sitting outside of the building the boy said was their camp. It was a large building that looked relatively safe. The problem was that the building was big and there was no telling how many people were inside.

"Okay," With that, Jennifer grabbed the bag of guns and headed for the top of a nearby building. This spot allowed her to see into the area where Rick, T-Dog, and Daryl would be. She set the bag of guns on the ground and got into positioned. She watched as the three approached the door to the building. A man emerged from the building nonchalantly and they all began talking. Jennifer assumed this was their leader, Guillermo the boy had said his name was.

Throughout their discussion, more men emerged from the building all carrying some kind of weapon. One of them actually raised his weapon, but soon their leader made him lower it.

At one point, Jennifer saw Rick look at her and Guillermo followed his gaze to the rooftop where Jennifer had him in her sights. She was awaiting the signal from Rick before she put a bullet in Guillermo's head.

"Come on, Rick. Give me the damn signal," Jennifer whispered.

The man yelled something and Jennifer watched as they brought out someone struggling onto the roof. There was a sack covering the person's head but it was quickly removed, revealing Glenn with duct tape over his mouth. He was shaking frantically, afraid that his captors might throw him off the roof.

Guillermo looked one last time to Jennifer before walking back into the mill. Daryl, T-Dog and Rick led the boy they had taken prisoner out of the courtyard and Jennifer took this as a sign that she needed to get back down there and figure out what happened.

"What the hell happened down there?" Jennifer asked when she caught up to the four men.

"He wants the guns," Rick said moving at a fast pace.

* * *

"Them guns are worth more than gold," Daryl said as Rick began digging through the guns dividing it evenly in half, "Gold won't protect your family or put food on the table. Willing to give that up for that kid?"

"If I knew we'd get Glenn back, I might agree," T-Dog stated, "But you think that vato across the way is just gonna hand him over?"

"You calling G a liar?" Miguel, who was sitting on the floor, asked.

"Are you apart of this? You want to hold onto your teeth?" Daryl yelled at the boy smacking him on the head.

"Question is, do you trust that man's word?" T-Dog continued speaking.

"No, question is what are you willing to bet on it?" Daryl spoke up again, obviously hyped up about what just happened with Guillermo, "Could be more than them guns. Could be your life. Glenn worth that to you?"

"What life I have, I owe to him. I was nobody to Glenn, just some idiot stuck in a tank. He could have walked away, but he didn't. Neither will I," Rick said to Daryl.

"So you're gonna hand over the guns?" Daryl questioned Rick.

"I didn't say that," Rick told him. He then looked to Daryl, then T-Dog, then Jennifer and spoke, "There's nothing keeping you three here. You should get out, head back to camp."

"And tell your family what?" T-Dog asked rubbing his hairless head.

Rick's eyes landed on Jennifer and she shrugged her shoulders saying, "Wouldn't be the first time I've risked my life to save someone else's."

Finally his eyes landed on Daryl who nodded and then they all began grabbing guns.

"Come on, this is nuts," Miguel said standing up. Daryl took care of him by pointing to the ground and the boy quickly sat back down, "Just do like G says."

Daryl and Jennifer were loading shells into the shot gun when Jennifer spoke out, "Even if they don't give Glenn back, we could just take him back."

"Good luck with that," Miguel said rubbing his head. They ignored his comment and continued preparing the guns.

"Do you think we should cover his mouth just in case?" Jennifer asked looking at Miguel. They had finished loading the guns and were about to leave.

"Yeah," Rick said nodding in agreement with Jennifer, "Anyone got a rag or something?"

T-Dog produced a dirty white rag from Glenn's backpack. "I ain't putting that in my mouth," Miguel trying to back up, but he couldn't because of Daryl's firm grasp on him.

"Too bad," Jennifer said grabbing the kid and stuffing the rag into the boy's mouth, "Okay, let's go."

* * *

Miguel took the lead with his hands tied behind his back, ad dirty rag in his mouth, and Daryl's gun poking him in the back as they made their way back to Guillermo'scamp. Jennifer, Rick, and T-Dog trailed behind them, ready to attack.

This time, when they made it to the large doors they immediately opened and they entered. Dozens of men surrounded the group holding various objects, such as Crowbars, baseball bats, and a few with guns.

Guillermo stood in the center with no visible weapons. "I see my guns but they're not all in the bag." He said.

"That's because they're not yours. I thought I mentioned that," Rick said to Guillermo with a straight face.

"Let's just shoot these fools right now, ese. All right? Unload on their asses, ese," the bald guy who pointed his gun at Daryl said.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Jennifer growled at the man.

"I don't think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation," Guillermo responded to Jennifer's warning.

"No, we're pretty clear," Rick said lowering his gun and taking out a knife. He cut the cloth holding Miguel's hands together and pushed him towards Guillermo. All the while, Jennifer, T-Dog, and Daryl stilled had their guns aimed at the group, "You have your man. I want mine."

"I'm gonna chop up your boy. I'm gonna feed him to my dogs. They're the evilest, nastiest man-eating bitches you ever saw," Guillermo said getting closer to Rick, "I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale."

"Is that supposed to scare us?" Jennifer questioned.

"It will when my dogs are on you," Guillermo threw back at her.

"I told you how it has to be. Are you woefully deaf?" he continued getting closer to Rick.

"No, my hearing's fine. You said come locked and loaded," Rick said holding his ground. Rick then cocked his gun and aimed it at Guillermo. This seemed to spark something in the room because soon everyone had their gun up ready to shoot, "Okay then, we're here."

Guillermo continued to stand his ground even with Rick's gun in his face.

"Felipe! Felipe!" They heard a woman calling out. Breaking the silence that had fallen upon the room.

"Abuela, go back with the others, now," the bald man, Felipe, responded. He looked at the woman then to Guillermo not knowing what to do.

"Get that old lady out of the line of fire!" Daryl yelled.

"Abuela, listen to your mijo, okay?" Guillermo told the old woman turning around halfway to face her, "This is not the place for you right now."

"Mr. Gilbert is having trouble breathing," the old woman begged Felipe ignoring Guillermo's request, "He need his asthma stuff. Carlito didn't find it. He needs his medicine."

Guillermo turned back to Rick who lowered his gun from Guillermo's head to his chest. Jennifer also lowered her gun confused by the situation. _Why is an old woman with this band of thugs? _Jennifer wondered to herself. Guillermo breathed out deeply and turned back to Felipe, "Felipe, go take care of it, okay? And take your grandmother with you."

"Who are those people?" The woman asked walking up to Rick. Felipe started speaking to her but the others couldn't understand what he was saying, "Don't you take him."

By now Rick had his gun lowered as the woman started moving in on him, "Ma'am?"

"Felipe's a good boy," the woman began before Rick could speak, "He have his trouble but he pull himself together. We need him here."

"Ma'am," Rick began, "I'm not here to arrest your grandson."

"Then what do you want him for?" she asked.

"He's…" Rick started but was interrupted by Jennifer.

"We need help looking for someone named Glenn."

"The Asian boy?" she asked moving towards Jennifer, "he's with Mr. Gilbert. Come. Come, I show you. He needs his medicine."

The woman grabbed Jen's hand and led her around Guillermo the others trailing close behind.

"Let 'em pass," he told his men as they dropped their weapons eyeing the group as they passed.

The woman led them out of a door to a flight of stairs. The stairs led to the front of a building with a chain-link fence around it. Stationed here, were two men with baseball bats. They continued into the building, where Rick stopped watching a nurse help an elderly woman drink some water.

"Abuela, por favor. Take me to him," Felipe told the woman. They passed several elderly people as they followed behind the woman and the limping man.

They entered a cafeteria like room where the elderly lingered about doing their own thing. In the center there was a group of people crowded around a man. One member of the group was Glenn, who was too focused on the man to notice the four of them enter.

"All right. All right." Someone said as the man took in breathes from his inhaler, "Nice and easy. Just breathe."

"What the hell is this?" Rick asked looking to Glenn for the answer.

"An asthma attack. Couldn't get his breathe all of a sudden," Glenn said looking at Rick then back to the man.

"I thought you were being eaten by dogs, man," T-Dog told him. Glenn looked back and the group saw three little Chihuahuas in a leopard print bed.

"Terrifying," Jennifer spoke under her breathe.

"Could I have a word with you?" Rick whispered to Guillermo. He nodded and they walked a distance away from the group, "You're the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in there ready to kill every last one of you."

"Well, I'm glad it didn't go down that way," Guillermo said relieved.

"If it had, that blood would be on my hands."

"Mine too. We'd have fought back. Wouldn't be the first time we've had to. Protect the food, the medicine- what's left of it. These people- the old ones, the staff just took off, just left 'em here to die."

Rick took a moment looking back at the man that had had an asthma attack.

"Me and Felipe were the only ones who stayed."

"What are you, doctors?" Rick asked.

"Felipe's a nurse- a special care provider. Me, I'm the custodian."

It took Rick a minute for it to sink in but once it did the group followed Guillermo into an empty room. While Guillermo sat down, Rick put down the bag of guns on a couch.

"Where did the rest of your group come from?" Jennifer asked.

"The vatos trickle in to check on their parents, their grandparents. They see how things are and most decide to stay," Guillermo answered "It's a good thing, too. We need the muscle. The people we've encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind- plunderers, the kind that take by force."

"That's not who we are," Rick told the man.

"How was I to know?" He inquired, "My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage, appearances."

"Guess the world change," T-Dog said shaking his head in disgust.

"No. It's the same as it ever was. The weak get taken," Guillermo said looking to Rick, "So we do what we can here. The vatos work on those cars, talk about getting the old people out of the city. But most can't even get to the bathroom by themselves, so that's just a dream. Still, it keeps the crew busy, and that's worth something."

He continued looking at Rick like he was explaining to just him instead of the whole group, "So we barred all the windows, welded all the doors shut except for one entrance. The vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait. The people here, they all look to me now. I don't even know why."

"Because they can," Rick said.

Jennifer, who had been sitting on the desk up until that point, stared at the ground. She got up, picking up the gun she had leaned on the wall, and held it out to Guillermo. She knew how he felt, not understanding why you were chosen to be a leader. To doubt yourself when others don't, yeah, she knew all about it, "Don't steer them wrong." She said in a low voice.

He accepted it looking Jennifer in the eye and nodding. Rick then unzipped the bag and began pulling out guns for Guillermo and his group to keep. They only ended up keeping two pistols, one for T-Dog and one for Glenn.

* * *

"Admit it, you only came back to Atlanta for the hat," Glenn said as they followed Jennifer to her apartment.

"Don't tell anybody," Rick said to him.

"You've given away all our guns and ammo," Daryl said as they entered the building, making their way up the stairs, "For what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow? Seriously, how long you think they got?"

"Guys, stop worrying about the guns," Jennifer told them as they made it to her door. She quickly lifted up a potted plant nearby and produced a small key and opened the door.

"How can you say that when we have nothin' left to protect ourselves with?" Daryl asked as they followed her through her apartment.

"Oh, don't worry I got you covered," she said as she opened up her bedroom door. Inside sat a supply of military weaponry that outclassed any gun Rick had in his little police bag.

"Where did you get all of these?" Glenn asked.

"It's easy to break into the military base when it's occupied with nothing but walkers," she said grabbing a shot gun and throwing it to Daryl. The man examined the gun as Jennifer continued handing out some to the others.

When they left, they were equipped with the same amount of guns they would have gotten if they had split the bag of guns with Guillermo's group.

* * *

"Oh my God," Glenn said as they approached the spot they had parked the truck.

"Where the hell's our van?" Daryl asked.

"We left it right there. Who would take it?" Glenn questioned upset about this turn of events.

"Merle," Rick said.

"He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp," Daryl said looking the other way. The group was forced to walk the rest of way back to camp.

* * *

The sun had already set when the group made it to the camp. They had been jogging the way until they heard screams and gun fire come from that direction. They then broke out into a full out sprint trying to get to the camp.

The group emerged from the woods as they realized what was happening. The camp was filled with walkers and people dying. Jennifer immediately began shooting any walker near her. She spotted Shane, Lori, and Carl making their way to the RV.

Jennifer was preoccupied shooting a walker to realize there was one right next to her. When she heard it growling, she turned towards it and would have gotten bit if, at that moment, Daryl didn't come up behind it and smash its head in with the butt of his shotgun. They stared at each other a moment before she nodded to Daryl and ran off into the group.

"Carl! Baby!" Rick was yelling to his family.

"Dad!" Carl yelled as he ran to his dad. Rick picked up his crying son and walked over to comfort his terrified wife.

Jennifer watched as the others kept turning and pacing around trying to confirm that there were no more walkers. Glenn was panting as he stared wide eyed all over the place.

Jennifer heard sobbing and looked to where it was coming from. When she saw what it was she wished she had just ignored it. On the ground, Andrea laid above her bloody sister crying. Jennifer had to look away, she couldn't watch that scene.

She felt as if all of this was her fault. If she hadn't pressured them into going to Atlanta the others might not be dead. _Well, that's just more to add to the list of people I have killed_, Jennifer thought as she gazed at the ground her face full of self-loathing.

"I remember my dream now. Why I dug the holes," Jim said to the group, his face covered in blood.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys and gals!**

**I hope you enjoy and please, please, please review. **

**I want to know if I'm doing this right or wrong, or in the middle or whatever!**

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

Jennifer sat with Lori, Carol, and Dale as the men of the group cleared the walkers from the camp, carrying them to a burn pile a little ways off. Last night had been rough and just by looking at everyone's face Jennifer could tell no one had gotten any sleep. No one spoke, or rather, no one knew what to say.

Jennifer watched as Lori got up from her place and walked over to Andrea, who was still on the ground mourning her dead sister. The blond didn't even look at Lori when the brunette spoke; she only stared into her sister's pale and bloody face.

Lori walked back to their little area, a wet crunching sound following her as Daryl's pickax landed in the head of a walker. Once he was sure it was dead, Daryl walked off to another one as Glenn and T-Dog carried the corpse to the burn pile. Jennifer watched Daryl; he was sweating and looked worn out. She decided to give him a chance to take a break.

"I'll take over from here," Jennifer said as she approached the man after he smashed another walker's head in. He had the pickax resting on his shoulder and was breathing very heavily as he viewed the woman with her small hands outstretched to him.

"I'm good," he grunted beginning to walk to another walker.

"No you're not. You're tired and you're going to get overheated," Jennifer told him. He thought she genuinely looked a little concerned about his health.

"Whatever," he said forcefully handing her the pickax, disregarding the concern she was showing him.

Jennifer paid no attention to his pissy mood and got to work.

After destroying her eleventh walker brain, Jennifer had to take a moment to catch her breath. The pickax wasn't that heavy, but combined with the heat it made the job a bit difficult. As Jennifer gazed around the camp her eyes stopped wondering when they met Shane's. He was staring at her with an odd look in his brown eyes and Jennifer just couldn't stop staring at him. That was until she heard a whistling sound and turned to see Daryl right by her.

She jumped when she saw him not realizing he had snuck up on her. He extended his hand and she placed the pickax in it walking back to where the others were shaking her head. _How did he sneak up on me like that?_ Jennifer thought.

Just as Jennifer made it back to the small group she was at before, Rick approached Andrea. The blond woman didn't hesitate; she pulled out her pistol and aimed it at the defenseless man. Rick stood from his crouching place and backed away with his hands up whispering, "Sorry."

* * *

"Y'all can't be serious. Let that girl hamstring us?" Daryl said with his pickax on his shoulder, "The dead girl's a time bomb."

"What do you suggest?" Rick asked tiredness weaved into his voice.

Daryl stepped closer to Rick, "Take the shot. Clean, in the brain from here," Daryl said making his fingers into a gun and aiming it at the side of his head, "Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance."

"No, for God's sakes, let her be," Lori said sitting back down on a crate.

"I say we let her be. When the time comes, if she isn't strong enough to put her down and she's bitten, we kill them both," Jennifer said. She was sitting in a chair with her head leaning back and her eyes closed to block out the sun, but when she was done she lifted her head to see everyone's reaction to her rather brutal method. Jennifer didn't care that it was brutal though because in the world they lived in now, brutality could save one's life.

Shane looked to Rick and shrugged his shoulders. He would do whatever his friend thought was best.

Daryl wasn't as on board. He looked to the group and scoffed as he walked away to help Morales drag Ed's mangled, dead body to the burn pile.

"Wh-What are you guys doing?" Glenn asked. The men only continued dragging the large man, ignoring Glenn's question, "This is for geeks. Our people go over there." Glenn pointed to the row of once alive camp members.

"What's the difference? They're all infected," Daryl said.

"Our people go in that row over there," Glenn pleaded. Daryl and Morales let go of the body eyeing the boy as he spoke, "We don't burn them! We bury them. Understand?"

The two heavily breathing men stared at Glenn, taking in his desperate expression before Glenn spoke again, and "Our people go in that row over there."

The men picked up the body once again and drug it over to the row. Jennifer heard Daryl yell, "You reap what you sow.".

"You know what? Shut up, man," Morales said as the two men let go of the lifeless body.

"Y'all left my brother for dead. You had this coming." Daryl roared as he pointed to the dead bodies. He walked somewhere out of Jennifer's view to do and she soon forgot about the loud, mouthy, short-tempered redneck.

Jennifer began cleaning her boots when she heard Jacqui yell, "A walker got him. A walker bit Jim."

She was backing away from the man as, Rick and Shane drew closer. Just as suddenly as Daryl disappeared, he reappeared next to Jennifer. He walked past her at a brisk pace with his bloody pickax.

"I'm okay. I'm okay," Jim whispered backing up.

"Show it to us," Daryl said. He moved the pickax as if he were waiting to strike Jim with it if something went wrong.

Jim turned around and picked up a shovel, readying himself to attack if it were necessary.

"Easy, Jim." Shane said motioning for Jim to put down the shovel before he did anything.

"Grab him," Daryl said to T-Dog who was lingering behind Jim.

"Jim, put it down. Put it down," Shane continued, trying to solve this in a peaceful way. Unfortunately Shane's calm ways didn't work because T-Dog hurried up and grabbed Jim's arms holding him in place. Daryl jumped to the man and lifted up his shirt. Sure enough, there was a bite mark on his side. Daryl let the go of the man's shirt and T-Dog did the same backing away from the infected man. All the while, Jim continued to chant, "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Everyone stood around eyeing the man not sure what to do. They didn't know whether to kill him or let him live and risk getting everyone else infected. Jennifer thought they should kill him right there. It would stop him from facing the misery to come and, more importantly, would protect them from the infectious.

They ordered for Jim to sit near the RV as the group discussed what to do with him.

"I say we put a pickax in his head," Daryl said to the group in a low voice, "And the dead girl's and be done with it."

"Is that what you'd want if it were you?" Shane asked looking up at the redneck.

"Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it," he responded

"I have to partially agree with Daryl," Jennifer said looking at the group.

"Jesus," Lori said looking at her with a 'I can't believe you just said that' look, "How could you say that? Jim's not a monster or some rabid dog. He's a sick man. As for Andrea, she needs time to mourn her dead sister. Wouldn't you want the same if it were your sister?"

"Hold up, I'm just trying to look out for the group. I'm sure you wouldn't want Carl getting infected because you decided to keep a walker to be alive. We would only be preventing him from future misery that comes with the infection," Jennifer said. Lori opened her mouth about to say something about Jennifer bringing Carl into this but she was cut off, "And if you would have let me finish I would have told you that I think we should let Andrea deal with Amy herself."

Jennifer got closer to Lori with a cold, hateful stare in her eyes; obviously something Lori said had struck a nerve in Jennifer, "You have no right to bring my sister into this. I know how Andrea feels I can relate, I know it's hard and it should be left up to her whether she has the strength to pull the trigger."

"I don't need some smart mouthed bitch criticizing me," Jennifer spat at her, turning to walk away into the forest. Lori just stood there staring off at the younger woman who had just told her, too stunned for words.

* * *

When Jennifer was sure no one could see her she broke out into a sprint through the woods. She ran as fast as she could, wanting to get as far away from the camp as she could. She had been running for what felt like hours when she finally stopped. She stood leaning against a tree catching her breathe.

There was a sudden rush of anger that consumed Jennifer with a fiery passion. She reared back and began punching the tree she had been leaning on before, trying to get rid of her pent up anger. When she was finished she withdrew her bloodied fists from the tree leaving blood smeared down the broken bark.

She soon realized that she had no idea where she was. She looked around trying to find something familiar to lead her out of the woods. She just decided to pick a way and hope that her instincts would lead her in the right direction.

Jennifer began running hoping that the smell of her blood wouldn't attract any walkers. She jumped over fallen trees and ducked under low branches as she ran. Unfortunately, Jennifer's foot got caught on a loose root and she tumbled down a steep incline.

She felt the sharp pain in different parts of her body every time she rolled over a rock on her way down. When she finally reached the bottom, she slammed into a tree. She hit the tree with so much force it felt like she was going to puke and she knew the bruise was already starting to form.

She tried to pick herself up off of the ground, and at first, succeeded but quickly collapsed when she tried to walk. She flipped herself over onto her back and just laid on the ground trying to catch her breath.

She listened to the sounds of the forest as her breathe slowed to its normal pace. She could hear a bird in the distance, the wind blowing through the trees speaking something no one could understand, and something else, a crunching sound.

The sound was getting louder and Jennifer realized it was footsteps. Scrambling for her gun, Jennifer realized she had dropped it when she fell down the slope. She searched the ground around her and spotted it a few feet away. She crawled desperately reaching for her weapon. The footsteps were growing louder and louder making Jennifer panic more and more.

The girl finally made it to her gun and immediately turned ready to fire at the walker. Jennifer was surprised when she saw Daryl walking to the edge of the slope. He had his crossbow in hand as he searched the area.

When he spotted Jennifer laying on the ground, he descended the hill as fast as he could without falling. He kept his eyes on the woman below. Her long, dark hair was spread out across the ground with leaves stuck in it, her tan legs had various cuts on them, and her knuckles were bleeding heavily. She looked so different from the girl he had spoken to earlier.

Jennifer lowered her gun to her side and watched as the man descended. He had a look of concern in his eye and Jennifer felt that this concern was genuine.

"What the hell are you doing down there?" Daryl said squinting his eyes at her and like that the concern was gone.

"I," Jennifer began not really knowing what to say, "I had to take care of something."

With the help of Daryl, Jennifer was able to sit up. The pain in her stomach didn't go away but it was now more of a dull, aching throb. When she was sitting up against a tree, Daryl grabbed her hand and began examining her knuckles.

"Now, why did you go and do that?" He said inspecting the other hand. Jennifer had thought that he was just talking to the air, but when he lifted his head she realized he wanted a legitimate answer. An answer she didn't want to give.

"Why did you come?" She asked evading the question.

" 'Cause I couldn't let you go into the woods yourself, princess," he said smirking at her. He had other reasons for coming but he would never admit to them.

Daryl pulled a red cloth from his pocket and quickly tore it in half. He used one half to cover Jennifer's right knuckles and the other to cover her left.

"We should be headin' back," Daryl said picking up his crossbow as he stood up. He helped Jennifer to her feet and when he asked if she needed help walking she said no. Jennifer took one step and would have fallen to the ground if Daryl wouldn't have caught her.

"Thanks," she said to him as he helped her walk back to the camp. He had asked if she wanted him to carry her but she refused that too.

On the way there, the two heard a gunshot coming from the direction they were headed. Jennifer didn't have to ask she knew what it was. "She must have done it."

"Huh?" Daryl asked looking at her confused.

"Andrea must have killed her sister," Jennifer said staring at the ground.

"How do ya know it was her?"

"Honestly, Rick isn't a killer. He may be a cop but he doesn't have it in him to kill another person, with the exception of walkers. He could never break Andrea's heart like that. And if Andrea didn't kill Amy and got bit there would be two shots."

"Oh," he said as they continued on.

After a while of walking in silence Daryl finally asked the question that was on his mind, "Jennifer, what did ya mean when you said somethin' bout your sister?"

Jennifer looked at the ground as the painful memories began flowing through her mind, "I don't want to talk about it."

With that, the two continued in silence. Daryl was worried that he had hurt his relationship with Jennifer but then he realized they didn't have any kind of relationship they just knew each other and helped the group survive. That was it.

* * *

The two emerged from the woods and into the camp where they were greeted by a concerned Carol who whisked Jennifer away before Daryl could blink.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Carol asked as she cleaned Jennifer's dirty face with a wet dishcloth.

"I'm sure," Jennifer said smiling to the older woman, "You really don't have to do this Carol"

"Oh please, I have nothing else to do," she said as she began to remove the makeshift bandages Daryl put on her.

"Well, I'm glad I can occupy you," Jennifer teased.

Just as quickly as it appeared, Jennifer's smile vanished when Lori came and sat down beside her. Lori was the first to speak saying, "Look, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I had no right to bring your sister into it."

Jennifer eyes the other brunette woman. She didn't particularly like Lori and she in no way found that she was an asset to the group, but she was Rick's wife and she didn't want to be on bad terms with him. After a moment of consideration Jennifer spoke, "I accept your apology and I am sorry I barked at you."

Lori smiled to her, patted her leg, and got up to walk away. Carol and Jennifer soon followed with the others. They were going to bury the other members of the group in the graves Jim had dug while they were in the city.

"These people need to know who the hell's in charge here, what the rules are," The group heard Daryl talking as they approached Shane, Rick, and him.

"There are no rules," Rick said looking to the redneck.

"Well, that's a problem," Lori said in a dry, hoarse voice, "We haven't had one minute to hold onto anything of our old selves. We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do."

* * *

Andrea unloaded the tarp that held her sister's body within it, all the others had been buried already. She dragged the body to the grave, not quite strong enough to carry it. Dale lagged behind trying to help Andrea but every time he tried she would reject him. Jennifer knew that this was a matter of love on Andrea's part. _She_ wanted to be the one to bury her sister just like _she _wanted to be the one to kill her.

Dale bent down to pick up one end but Andrea cried, "I can do it. I can do it."

Just then, Jennifer felt something wrap around her leg and when she looked down Sam had her arms wrapped around the upper part of Jen's leg. She had her face pressed on her thigh as she let loose a few tears. Jennifer would have picked the girl up, but the pain in her stomach didn't allow her to so she just patted the girl's back trying to comfort her.

Andrea was in the grave and was trying to pull her in. She allowed Dale to pick up one end so that they could gently lower her into the bottom. Jennifer heard as some of the women around her started crying a little. Jennifer didn't know these people so she couldn't mourn their deaths like the others but even if she did she wouldn't cry.

She found crying to be a weakness and she refused to ever show anyone weakness.

Dale helped Andrea out of the grave and they proceeded to shovel the dirt into the grave. When it was all in the group headed back to the camp. Jennifer had trouble getting Sam off of her leg but when she did the girl looked up at her with red, watery eyes. She grabbed Jennifer's hand and followed the others leading her back to camp.

Jennifer watched as everyone went to go do their own thing leaving Jennifer to figure out something to do. She couldn't do much because of her stomach and when she was about sit down in the camp, Carol motioned for her to come to the RV. She insisted that she put the disinfectant spray Dale had on her knuckles, she also wanted to see what she could do about Jennifer's bruised stomach. When Jennifer saw it she realized her stomach wasn't as bad as she thought but it still hurt like a bitch.

* * *

She trudged into the group that was around the fire pit and sat in a chair. She watched as Shane and Rick approached, both armed with shot guns.

"I've been, uh-," Shane began, walking to the left of Jennifer, "I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look, there are no- there are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together."

Jennifer had been filled in on what they had talked about during her time in the woods. She agreed with Rick on going to the C.D.C., mostly because the last contact she was able to get from Fort Benning they were being overrun by walkers.

"So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning," Shane said looking to the group. Lori looked at her husband, who in turn raised his head to look at his best friend, "Okay?"

* * *

"Everybody listen up," Shane said beginning his instructions, "Those of you with C.B.s, we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you got a problem, don't have a C.B., can't get a signal, anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?"

They had gotten a good night's rest and were now about to set out for the C.D.C. Jennifer didn't know what to expect and she didn't like it, but at least they could be more prepared for a herd if they were at a strong building.

"We're, uh… We're not going," Morales said to Shane. The group just looked to them awaiting an explanation.

"We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people," his wife said wrapping her arms around her children.

"You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back," Shane said sternly to the man.

"We'll take the chance. I got to do what's best for my family," Morales said. Jennifer personally thought that what would be best for his family was staying with the group where they had people to help them survive, but whatever it was his call. Plus, it just lessened the mouths to feed.

"You sure?" Rick asked putting his hand on his hip.

"We talked about it. We're sure."

"All right," Rick said looking his best friend, "Shane."

"Yeah, all right," Shane responded as they began to pull out a pistol and a box of ammo from the police bag.

Rick handed it to the man and Shane gave him the ammo saying, "The box is half full."

Daryl scoffed as he turned his back to the group. Lori got up from her place and went to hug Morale's wife as she said, "Thank you all… for everything". People started crying as Shane shook Morales's hand and wished him good luck.

Sophia and Morales's daughter hugged as they began to cry. The girl then turned to Sam and hugged her, passing her doll off to the young girl. Soon everyone was hugging and Jennifer just rolled her eyes. _We don't have time for all this bullshit. We have a dying man who needs to get to the CDC,_ she thought to herself.

"What makes you think our odds are any better?" Shane asked Rick after the family headed for their car, "Come on. Let's go. Let's move out."

Jennifer slung her backpack over her shoulder, grabbed her rifle and walked over to the car she was to be riding in.

When she got in Shane gave her an odd look and jokingly said, "First, you take my tent, and now you want to take my car?"

"Oh, you know you love my company," she said smirking at him.

They followed the long line of cars, led by the RV, onto the main road and began their journey.

* * *

As they drove, they passed little houses that had long since been abandoned, tall electrical wires that had ceased to be used a week into this epidemic, and open grasslands that were one of the few things that could retained its beauty, even when the world had gone to hell.

Shane had the top off of his Jeep as they drove. This caused Jennifer's hair to whip at her face but she didn't mind.

* * *

They had been driving for a while, when all of a sudden the caravan came to a halt. Jennifer and Shane hopped out of the Jeep to see what the problem was. Apparently the hose in the Winnebago was shot and without any duct tape to repair it, they were stranded.

"I see something up ahead," Shane said putting down his binoculars, "A gas station if we're lucky."

"Y'all, Jim-" Jacqui said as she rushed out of the RV, "It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore."

"Hey, Rick, you wanna hold down the fort?" Shane asked, "I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back."

"Yeah, I'll come along too," T-Dog said holding the binoculars up, "And I'll back you up."

"Y'all keep your eyes open now," Shane said, "We'll be right back."

As Shane and T-Dog left, Rick walked towards the RV. He stood outside of the door, took a breath, and entered.

Jennifer leaned against the RV, letting the hot sun hit her tan flesh. As she heard the muffled voices of two men talking inside of the RV.

* * *

"It's what he said he wants," Rick said looking to the group. He had just informed them of Jim's death wish and Jennifer couldn't blame him, it was better than being a flesh eating monster.

"And he's lucid?" Carol asked.

"He seems to be," Rick said focusing on his hat, "I would say yes."

"Back in the camp when I said Daryl and Jennifer might be right and you shut me down, you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer," Dale said looking to the group. Jennifer had stormed away before that part of their discussion, but it's not like their opinion mattered. Jennifer knew that the group would do whatever Shane and Rick said no matter how idiotic their decision may be.

"We just leave him here? We take off?" Shane, who had come back from scouting ahead with T-Dog, didn't come back with much just a few cans of food and some duct tape for the RV's hose, "Man, I'm not sure I could live with that."

"It's not your call, either one of you," Lori said.

Rick took a moment to thin k before him and Shane brought Jim out. They leaned him against a tree in the shade.

"Hey, another damn tree," Jim said as the group began surrounding him. He chuckled and looked at them.

"Hey Jim- I mean, you know it doesn't need to be this," Shane said.

"No. It's good. The breeze feels nice," Jim responded closing his eyes and leaning his head against the tree.

"Okay. All right," Shane said patting his leg and stepping back.

Jacqui was the next to step up to the man as she bent down to his level, "Just close your eyes sweetie. Don't fight," She said in a soft voice as she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Jim, do you want this?" Rick approached him. He had a revolver in his hand trying to get Jim to take it.

"No. You'll need it. I'm okay."

Dale was the replaced Rick in front of Jim saying, "Thanks for, uh, for fighting for us."

"Okay," Jim said breathing loudly. Dale got up and walked back towards the RV and Glenn nodded to the man before walking away. The two left standing were the two people who wanted to kill Jim at the camp, Daryl and Jen.

Daryl lifted his eyes from the ground to the dying man who offered him a smile and the slightest of nods. Daryl walked closer and nodded before moving away. When Jennifer was about to walk away she heard Jim whisper her name.

She looked over her shoulder before fully turning and walking to the man. She kneeled before him and waited for him to speak.

"Jennifer," She could tell it was getting harder and harder for him to speak but alas, he continued, "Make sure you keep a close eye on those two. Protect them and let them protect you, they really care about you."

"What are you talking about Jim?" Jennifer asked thinking the man was suffering from a hallucination or something.

"Shane and Daryl," he whispered confusing Jennifer.

"What are you talking about? Daryl doesn't want anything to do with."

"No, you should see the way he looks at you when you're not looking. And the jealousy in his eyes when you're around Shane," he said trying to open his eyes to focus on her face.

"Okay, I will. Thanks," she said as she got up and walked to the others.

_He must be delusional, _Jennifer thought, _there's no way Shane or Daryl would care for me like that. They barely know me. But Daryl did come after me when I was in the woods. Someone could have sent him though, that someone could have been Shane. No, stop thinking about it, they don't like you that way!_

Jennifer was headed back to Shane's Jeep, staring at the ground as she walked. She looked up and immediately caught the gaze of Daryl, who was sitting inside of his truck ready to go. They stared into each other's eyes as Jennifer recalled what Jim had said. She shook her head and continued on to the Jeep.

* * *

The hours they spent travelling finally paid off when they reached the CDC at sunset. They parked their vehicles and everyone began getting out of their automobiles. The site that awaited them was not a pretty one, dead bodies scoured the ground with the loud buzz of flies as they flew around the bodies. A military base had tried to set up here but were soon infected and killed off. The smell of decomposing flesh was sure off ward off walkers.

Jennifer looked at the bodies realizing that this could have been her fate if she hadn't of come home when she did.

"All right, everybody, keep moving. Go on," Shane whispered, "Stay quiet. Let's go."

Everyone was gagging at the terrible smell as they walked past countless bodies. Jennifer feared that one of the dead might suddenly come alive again and attack without them realizing it, but it seemed that all covering the ground had a bullet hole somewhere in the head.

Rick banged on the door and T-Dog said, "There's nobody here."

"Then why are the shutters down?" Jennifer asked as she walked closer to the metal door.

"Walkers!" Daryl yelled. _So much for the smell keeping them away,_ Jennifer thought getting ready to kill some walkers.

"Baby, come on," Lori said as her and Carol pulled their children behind the men.

"You led us into a graveyard!" Daryl yelled killing a walker then walking to Rick.

"He made a call!" Shane yelled also making his way to Rick.

"It was the wrong damn call!"

"Just shut up. You hear me? Shut. Shut up!" Shane yelled pushing Daryl back.

Jennifer blocked out their conversation as she searched the door for some kind of way to get in. She ran her hands along the door and then gazed upwards. Above the doorway was a white camera. As Jennifer stared at it, the thing moved slightly to the left.

"The camera. It moved," She whispered still staring at it. The others were still fighting amongst themselves and were beginning to retreat, but Jennifer and Rick remained still.

Shane tried to get his friend to leave but Rick refused. The more time that passed the more restless the group got and the more panicked Rick got. He began yelling at the thing as Shane tried to pull him back.

Jennifer stood there staring at the camera blocking out all of the chaos and only focusing on the camera. The last thread of hope they had was beginning to slip away. Shane threw back Rick and Jennifer began to turn away when the door behind them opened and white light came streaming from it.

* * *

**Sorry it's a day late :( But still, hope you enjoy and please make sure to review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey readers I'm so sorry this is a few days late, but it's a little longer than my other ones so that's always good **** I really hope you enjoy this and please review.**

**Warning: There are sexual situations in this. Yeah I know what you're thinking. Finally! Some sex! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

They group stood before the door, with its bright white light shining out onto the darkening street, in awe. That was until the light went out and the group slowly moved through the entrance.

"Daryl, Jennifer, cover the back," Shane said as they surrounded the defenseless members of their party in a circle.

"Hello?" Rick asked as his voice echoed through the stone building, "Hello?"

"Close the doors. Watch for walkers," A voice said, the group looked around trying to pinpoint the source.

"Hello?" Rick said once more as they heard a gun cock. Standing before them was a man with rifle in his hands. Jennifer couldn't see him too well because he was hidden in the shadows, but that didn't stop her from aiming at the man's silhouette.

"Anybody infected?" He yelled to them and Jennifer couldn't help but think that his voice sounded somewhat familiar.

"One of our group was," Rick spoke, "He didn't make it."

"Why are you here? What do you want?" He asked as he descended the small staircase and came from the shadows. He was a blond man with worn, tired features. Judging from the bags under his eyes, he seemed to not have gotten a good night sleep in a while but who did in the world they lived in now?

Jennifer knew she recognized this man from somewhere but couldn't remember.

"A chance," Rick said letting out a shaky breath.

"That's asking an awful lot these days," He said slowly moving closer to the group with his gun still raised.

"I know," Rick said turning his head from side to side as his breaths continued to shake. The group was looking to the man with pleading eyes, as his eyes roamed over each person's face.

"Jennifer?" he asked when his eyes met the woman's. Something in the way he said her name triggered something in her and she remembered who the man was.

"Jenner?" She asked stepping forward through the group. The man eyed the younger woman surprised to see someone he actually recognized.

He took a moment of consideration before saying, "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

"We can do that," Rick said nodding his head.

"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now," Jenner said lowering his gun and pointing towards the glass doors, "Once this door closes, it stays closed."

Jennifer turned to go get her stuff but was stopped when Shane put his arm in front of her and said, "I'll go get it."

Glenn, Daryl, Shane, T-Dog, and Rick rushed out to get the supplies. When they came back, Dale and Jennifer quickly pulled the doors shut. Jenner swiped a card on a box on the wall and told it, "VI, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here."

The metal doors lowered and the group began to make their way to the elevators with Jenner's lead. They all piled into the elevator and remained quiet as the elevator took them down.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl asked. He was in the far corner while Jennifer was closer to the front next to Jenner.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself," Jenner said looking back at Daryl. He nodded his head to the group, "But you look harmless enough."

"Except you," he added looking down at Carl, "I'll have to keep my eye on you."

Jenner chuckled to himself and turned back to the front watching the numbers on the wall descended as they went deeper into the Earth.

When they got to the floor needed they followed Jenner through white hallways lined with doors.

"Are we underground?" Carol asked making to doctor look back.

"Are you claustrophobic?" he asked. Jennifer was walking in the front with Rick and Shane but turned to the woman when she spoke. She noticed Daryl lingering in the back looking around curiously.

"A little," she said.

"Try not to think about it," Jenner said turning back to the front.

They entered a darkened room with a ramp that led down to a circular area with many white computers. "VI, bring up the lights in the big room," Jenner's voice echoed through the large room as the harsh, bright lights flickered on, "Welcome to zone 5."

"Just how I remember," Jennifer said chuckling to no one in particular as she descended the ramp with Jenner, the others were close behind. She stopped smiling when she asked, "Where is everybody? The other doctors, the staff?"

"I'm it," Jenner said from the center of the circle, "It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with?" Lori asked, "VI?"

"VI, say hello to our guests. Tell them… welcome," Jenner said.

"Hello, guests. Welcome," the computer said.

"I'm all that's left," the group remained quiet as if this piece of news had just crushed them. As for Jennifer, she hadn't expected all of them to make it but she did at least expect to see a few of them, "I'm sorry."

* * *

"What's the point? If we were infected we would all be running a fever," Andrea asked as the doctor took her blood.

"I've already broken every rule in the book letting you in her, let me at least be thorough," Jenner said as he removed the rubber from her arm and pulled the needle out. Everyone else had their blood drawn except for Jennifer and Sam. As Andrea walked to the others by the door, Jenner motioned for Sam to take her turn.

The little girl had never given blood before and was scared; she looked up to Jennifer for confirmation before grabbing the older woman's hand and walking to sit with the doctor. The doctor tied the band around her small arms and got ready to stick the needle in, before he was even able to touch her skin the girl turned her head and scrunched up her face as she squeezed Jen's hand. The last drop of blood entered the container and the doctor put a band-aid on the girl's arm. The girl let go of Jennifer's hand and ran back to Carl and Sophia who were sitting in the chairs near the exit with their parents.

Jennifer rolled up the sleeve of her plaid shirt before sitting down in the chair before her. She extended her arm to the doctor and he tied the rubber band around her arm right where her sleeve ended. Jennifer felt the small ache when the needle went into her arm but it quickly went away.

"Your sister?" Jenner asked looking from the needle to the woman trying to catch her eye.

"I don't want to talk about it," Jennifer said intensely staring at the needle in her arm.

"Did you have to put her down?" Jenner pressed pulling the rubber band off as the last of the blood filled the cylinder.

"I said, I don't want to talk about it," Jennifer hissed looking the older man in the eye. She quickly stood from her chair and turned to walk away but nearly collapsed.

"Are you okay?" Jenner asked as Jacqui came up and helped Jen steady herself.

"Yeah," Jennifer said as her eyes lifted from the ground. The first thing that caught her gaze was Daryl with a concerned gaze over his features. Jennifer walked away from Jacqui and began to grab her belongings. She didn't need anyone taking pity on her.

"She hasn't eaten in days," Jacqui said to him, "None of us have."

* * *

"You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner," Dale said as he filled a wine glass and handed it to Lori, "And in France."

"Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then," Lori said as she took a sip of her wine. Jennifer just watched the scene play out as she drank from her third glass of wine.

"What's it gonna hurt? Come on," Rick said looking to his wife, "Come on."

It was quiet until Rick asked, "What?" to his wife as she stared at him, then everyone broke out into laughter. Lori shrugged her shoulders and T-Dog rose his glass laughing.

"There you are, young lad," Dale said passing Carl a cup with a small amount of wine in the bottom. All was quiet as Carl sipped the wine and the group awaited his reactions.

"Eww," he said making a distorted face and setting the wine back down. The group broke out in to laughter and Jennifer downed the rest of her wine.

"Mind filling this up?" She asked waving her glass at Daryl, who was behind them steadily sipping from one of the wine bottle.

"Sure ya can handle it, princess?" He asked as he began filling up her glass.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure," she said smirking at him.

"Well, just stick to soda pop there, bud," Shane said with a small smile on his face.

"Not you, Glenn," Daryl said making his way around the table.

"What?" the boy asked innocently as he looked up from the wine bottle he had been staring at. He wasn't sitting at the table, but rather on a counter a few feet away.

"Keep drinking, little man. I want to see how red your face can get," Daryl sneered at him as everyone, once again, broke into laughter. As they did so, Rick looked to Jenner who was sitting in a small table next to the ones the group had pulled together. The doctor had a sullen look on his face as he looked to the group members enjoying themselves.

Rick clinked his knife against the wine glass as Dale filled his glass emptying another wine bottle. Rick stood scooting his chair back with his legs and said, "It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly."

"He is more than just our host," T-Dog slurred as he raised his wine glass that only contained a fourth of the wine it had.

"Hear hear!" someone yelled as everyone raised their glass.

"Booyah!" Daryl yelled holding up the wine bottle. Everyone began repeating what Daryl said as they continued to eat, drink, and have a good time. That was until Shane spoke, he was still on his first glass of wine so his words were clear and even.

"So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc?" Everyone had been smiling but after Shane's question everyone's face lost their happy appearance. He looked expectantly at the doctor as he continued, "All the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?"

"We're celebrating, Shane," Rick said in a stern voice to his friend, "Don't need to do this now."

"Whoa, wait a second. This is why we're here right?" Shane said to Rick as he held up his hand, "This was your move supposed to find all the answers. Instead we-"Shane chuckled before continuing, "We found him," Shane pointed to Jenner, "Found one man. Why?"

By now everyone was quiet as they listened and Jennifer sent a cold look at Shane. Jenner might be intolerable at times but at one point they had been friends and they kind of still were.

* * *

_8 years earlier_

_Jennifer entered the CDC as people bustled about, some wearing lab coats, other in regular clothes. She had been assigned patrol the CDC for a few months while they worked on some top-secret experiment Jennifer couldn't care less about. She really didn't want to be here but she knew it was her job, or as her commanding officer put it "her responsibility to the nation". Jennifer rolled her eyes at the thought of her commanding officer. Ever since she had been transferred squads she had to put up with Jeffery, her new commander. _

_Jennifer made her way through the people looking for someone named Dr. Jenner when she heard someone shriek, "She has a gun!"_

_Jennifer quickly pulled her gun from the holster and searched for the threat. As people scrabbled around the area in panic Jennifer felt two hard hands force her to the ground and shove the barrel of a gun into her cheek._

"_Get Off!" she yelled as she squirmed under the firm grasp holding her to the ground. The panic was beginning to settle and soon all eyes were on Jennifer. _

"_What are doing here?" A strong voice yelled as the gun dug deeper into her cheek._

_And, of course, being the person she was Jennifer ignored their questions and yelled, "How about you get the fuck off me!"_

_There was then a mass confusion as Jennifer tried to yell over the two men and the doctors began screaming things about getting the insane woman out. Then out of the mass there was a strong voice, "Let her go."_

_Everyone froze and looked to the blond man descending the stairs, even Jennifer tried to look up._

"_Are you sure sir?" One of the guards asked with his hands still on Jennifer's body._

"_Yes," he said. Jennifer could now see his polished, black shoes as he stood in front of her. The guards that had held her down quickly removed themselves without even offering her a hand up. She looked up at the man who had saved her and just stared at his outstretched hand. She knocked his hand away and picked herself up off the ground. _

_She searched the ground and found her pistol had slid a few feet away near some doctors. She made her way to it and with each step forward the doctors before her took one back. She just smirked as she picked her gun off of the floor and put it in its hostler. _

_When she turned around she immediately met Jenner's blue eyes. He was a few feet from her with a smile on his face and his hand outstretched for her to shake it. She hesitantly took his hand and shook it as he said, "I'm Dr. Edwin Jenner."_

"_Jennifer Sullivan," she said withdrawing her hand._

* * *

"Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left, went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted," Jenner said snapping Jennifer back into reality and out of the past.

"Every last one?" Shane asked settling back into his seat.

"No, many couldn't face walking out the door," Jenner said looking Shane straight in the eye. Jennifer had noticed that he had always done that and somehow it seemed to get the point across better, "They… opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time," This time Jenner held his gaze down as he remembered what had happened to his colleagues.

"You didn't leave," Andrea spoke up, "Why?"

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good," Jenner said to the woman. This made Jennifer smile a little as she remembered the time she had spent with her friend Jenner and how even in the apocalypse he still holds aspects of his personality. Even when the world had gone to hell, he was the one to believe it could still be restored.

"Dude, you are such a buzz kill, man," Glenn spoke what was on everyone's mine to Shane. Shane just ran his tongue over his lips and looked at the group.

* * *

"Most of the facility is powered down including housing, so you'll have to make do here," Jenner said as the group walked down a narrow white hallway with all of their belongings in tote. The lights on the walls were flickering, but no one really cared. They were just pleased that they would finally be able to get a full night's sleep without worrying about walkers, "The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like."

"There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug-in the video games, okay?" Jenner told as he bent over the three small kids in the front of their line, "or anything that draws power," he rose up and was now talking to the adults of the group when he said, " The same applies if you shower, go easy on the hot water."

"Hot water?" Glenn asked as he turned around with a huge smile on his face.

"That's what the man said," T-Dog said smiling back at the boy as they both started laughing.

Everyone then dispersed to pick their own room. Jennifer immediately felt a tug on her hand and she looked down to see that Sam had grabbed her hand and was now looking at her with wide eyes, "Can I sleep with you?"

"Uh… Yeah," She said. She assumed Sam was going to want to sleep with Sophia in her and Carol's room, but she hadn't expected the girl to want to room with her. She couldn't turn the girl away not only because it would be rude, but without Jennifer realizing it… Sam was filling the hole in her heart that her sister had left.

"Does this one look good?" Jennifer asked as she set Sam's stuff on the couch.

"Mhm," she said nodding her head.

"If you want you can go play with Carl and Sophia in the rec room," Jennifer said and before she could get an answer the little girl was already running out of the room to go find her friends.

The first thing Jennifer did when the small girl left was strip naked and hop into the shower. The warm water felt so good as it washed the dirt and grime from her tan skin. She let the warm water embrace her warm body for a few minutes before she actually started bathing her body.

When she got out she wrapped herself in a white fluffy towel and laid sprawled out on the cot someone had brought in while she was in the shower. It took some time, but Jennifer finally willed herself to get up and put her clothes on. She threw on dark purple tank tops and some tight black shorts then made her way to the kitchen.

When she got there she searched the cabinets until she found what she was looking for. Finally, in the cabinet under the sink, behind some cleaning supplies, Jennifer found over half a bottle of whiskey. She knew it was in there somewhere. She quickly unscrewed the top and began drinking.

* * *

"Camp town ladies sing their song! Doo Dah! Doo Dah!" Jennifer sang as she continued drinking the whiskey. She had almost emptied the bottle and was now sitting on the floor of the kitchen unable to get up, "And Bingo was his name!"

"What the hell are ya doin?" Daryl asked as he made his way around the counter. He was on his way to grab something that had fallen out of his bag earlier when he heard someone start singing.

"Ah!" Jennifer yelled as she fell to her side. She picked herself up but kept on swaying from side to side as she gave Daryl a drunken smile and pointed at him, "Ya scared me there, D."

"Get yer ass up and go ta bed," Daryl ordered.

"Okay, but I don't think I can," she slurred. Unfortunately, she was right. She grabbed onto the counter for support and tried to pull herself up but she only fell to the ground laughing.

"Come 'ere," Daryl said walking over to the giggling girl. He took the bottle from her hand and placed it on the counter as he grabbed her arm and lifted her up. He began guiding the drunken woman back to her room, all the while trying not to let her fall over.

"You're so strong," she said as she buried her head into his neck and reached up under his shirt, "And you smell so good."

"Which one is yer room?" Daryl asked trying to get the woman to stop. Even though he enjoyed the way she touched him, but he knew that it was just the liquor making her do this and he didn't want to take advantage of her.

"This one," she said pointing to a door to their right. Daryl helped the woman to the door and opened it for her as she made her way inside she turned around one more time and kissed him on the cheek before stumbling inside.

Jennifer was able to make it to the cot before her legs completely gave out. The cot squeaked under her as she lay sprawled out on it. She was a bit cold and decided to search for a shirt in her bag, but as she looked around the room she couldn't find it. She decided that she was too drunk and it wasn't time for a game of hide-n-seek so she just sat on the cot.

"What are you doing in here?" Jennifer looked up and saw Shane standing before her he had his shirt unbuttoned and was holding a white towel to the side of his neck.

"What happened?" Jennifer stalked towards Shane, ignoring his question. Jennifer miraculously made her way over to Shane without falling and was now peeling the towel away from his stubbly neck. There were three red marks on the side of his neck.

She just smirked and walked away turning her back to the large man, "Did Lori do that to you?" Jennifer asked smirking back at Shane.

In the blink of an eye his expression went from confused to angry as he approached the woman. She had made her way to the wall now but still had her back to him. He quickly remedied this by grabbing her arm and turning her to face him.

"So how long have you been in love with your best friend's wife?" Jennifer asked giggling as she fueled the flames of Shane's anger.

"How do you know about that?" he asked getting closer to Jennifer, making her lean slightly over the dresser that was behind her.

"I can see it when you look at her. Longing, lust, passion, it's all there," Jennifer then pushed on his chest making him back off a bit as she snaked her arm around his head and brought her mouth up to his ear, "I've seen that look when you look at me too."

Jennifer then did something Shane didn't' expect she grabbed his groin with the hand that wasn't holding his head and began rubbing it. She then reached her mouth up to his and began kissing him. Her tongue snaked into her mouth and Shane took this as an invitation to fuck.

He lifted the girl up and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried them to the awaiting cot. He threw her on the cot and she stared at him with lustful eyes as they went back in for another passionate kiss. He grabbed the back of her and ran his hand through her hair as she began to take off her shirt. He made his way down to her next and started sucking as she basically ripped of his shirt and threw it to the ground. He removed her black shorts leaving her in nothing but her black lacy bra and underwear.

They then began fumbling with his belt trying to remove the stubborn thing. When they finally got it off Shane removed his pants and the two continued kissing. As they explored each other's mouth with their tongues, Shane unclasped the hooks on Jennifer's bra and threw it to the rest of the clothes. He kissed down her neck, over her collar-bone, and to her perky tan breasts. He took on in his mouth and sucked on the nipple as he teased the other one with his rough hands. Jennifer threw her head back as her nipples hardened in Shane's mouth. Jennifer couldn't take it anymore, she need release and she needed it now.

Jennifer yanked Shane's head up by the curls and said, "Let's get to the fucking."

He just grinned and began to remove her lacy panties. He took his time, teasing the woman, but it back fired on him when he viewed her fully naked and felt the urge to ram into her until she couldn't walk right.

As Shane removed his boxers his stiff, 9 inch long dick popped out. HE laid Jennifer on her back and positioned himself at her entrance. He looked at her for conformation and she just bit her lip and nodded vigorously at him.

He plunged into her and she threw her head back as he rammed into her entrance. The sound of skin slapping skin and moans filled the room as the two continued. Shane picked Jennifer up off of her back and brought her close to him. He ran his tongue over her soft skin, "You taste like strawberries," he whispered in her ear.

The two continued to fuck as the sweat built up and their skin became slick.

"Sha- Shane," Jennifer whispered, both were on the verge of their release as Shane increased his speed.

"Shane!" Jennifer moaned in ecstasy as they both came in unison. They rode out their orgasms then Shane removed himself from her and laid on the cot next to her. The only sound that could be heard was their heavy breathe as they began to come down from their high.

Shane turned his head to look at the girl he had just had sex with but she was already fast asleep.

* * *

"Morning!" Jennifer yelled as she entered the cafeteria. Rick and Glenn simultaneously groaned as they rubbed their aching heads. Jennifer just smirked as she sat down to get the powdered eggs T-Dog had made. They weren't as good as normal eggs but they were still pretty damn good.

"How are you not hung over?" Glenn asked as Jennifer scarfed down her eggs, "You drank more than all of us combined."

"I don't know. I don't really get hangovers even when I'm shitfaced," Jennifer said a crooked smile on her face as Glenn felt envy towards her. Jennifer lifted her eyes to the group and caught Shane staring at her she gave him a small smirk and continued eating her eggs.

When she had woken up that morning, he was not in bed with her so she didn't get the chance to talk to him that morning. But when Jennifer thought about it she didn't really want to talk about it, I mean what would she say? We fucked, you want to do it again sometime?

"Morning," Jenner said as he walked into the cafeteria. Everyone said something along the lines of, "Hey Doc," as Jenner began making himself a cup of coffee.

"Doctor, I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing," Dale began, finally starting a real conversation since Jennifer had entered the room.

"But you will anyway," Jenner said with his back turned to them.

"We didn't come here for the eggs," Andrea said making the doctor turn around as a serious air-filled the room. As she spoke, Daryl entered the room, as he did so he gave Jennifer a cold gaze, an even colder one than the ones she usually receives from the man.

_Made he heard us last night,_ Jennifer thought_, He doesn't need to take his anger out on me if he isn't getting any._

"Follow me," Jenner said as he sipped on his coffee. The group did as they were told and followed Jenner to the large computer room they had been in when they first arrived at this safe haven.

Jenner clicked on one of the computers and told it, "Give me playback of TS-19."

"Playback of TS-19," VI said as the screen before them brightened with life.

"Few people ever got a chance to see this," Jenner said as some of the group began to walk closer to the screen, "very few."

"Is that a brain?" Carl asked looking to the doctor for an answer.

"An extraordinary one," he said looking said looking to the boy with tender eyes and a small smile on his lips. Jenner turned back to the screen and said, in a low voice, "Not that it matters in the end."

"Take us in for E.I.V." he said as the computer zoomed in one the image and said, "Enhanced internal view."

The group watched as the image began to get larger and then the view was inside of the head. As they watched hundreds of lights flickered through it and Shane couldn't help but ask, "What are those lights?"

"It's a person's life experiences, memories. It's everything," As Jenner spoke Jennifer watched as Sam trotted up to her and laced her small fingers around Jennifer's thin ones, "Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you the thing that makes you unique. And human."

"You don't make sense ever?" Daryl asked folding his arm as he gazed at the doctor.

"Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages," Jenner said as he paced in front of the screen, reminding Jennifer about her teachers in high school, only he couldn't give her detention for not paying attention or sleeping, "They determine everything a person says, does or thinks from the moment of birth to the moment of death."

Jenner gazed up at the thing on the monitor as if after so many times seeing it he still couldn't believe the extent of the human brain and was amazed by it.

"Death? That's what this is, a vigil?" Rick asked stepping forward, breaking the hypnotizing hold the lights had on the group members.

"Yes," Rick's questioned didn't break Jenner's gaze as he watched the lights go back and forth, "or rather the playback of the vigil."

"This person died?" Andrea asked, "Who?"

"Test subject 19. Someone who was bitten and infected…" Jenner trailed off remembering the past, "And volunteered to have us record the process."

From the way Jenner watched the screen and the sadness in his voice when he spoke of the test subject Jennifer was able to infer who TS-19 was.

"Vi, scan to the first event," Jenner said as his computer repeated his instructions and something flashed on the screen. It was the same brain only now there was a growing darkness from the center that spread out at a rapid pace.

"What is that?" Glenn asked in confusion as the blackness consumed the image. It seemed that the boy had recovered from his hangover.

"It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shut down, then the major organs," Jenner sated as the image on the screen began jerking, only ceasing when the brain went completely black with no light shining through, "Then death."

"Everything you ever were or ever will be…" Jenner paused a moment as his amazement left his face and he looked saddened, "Gone."

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia innocently asked her mother. This made Jennifer remember that Sam was still clinging to her and when she looked down the child's eyes had a mixture of emotion. There was confusion, tiredness, awe, but through all of those emotions, Jennifer saw the sadness that hid beneath it. It was much like Jennifer's sadness that she tried to hide behind her other emotions. The sadness that she would never show anyone, the sadness that would break her.

Jennifer didn't realize she was still staring at the girl until the blond looked up at her with her pale blue eyes. Jennifer offered a small smile and the girl buried her face into Jennifer's side, wiping her small tears on Jennifer's pants. Jennifer realized Sam wasn't the only on crying when she looked over to Andrea and saw that she red eyes and was sniffling.

"They lost someone two days ago," Lori said to the doctor who looked from Andrea to the small girl clutching Jennifer, "Andrea's sister and Sam's dad."

"I lost somebody, too. I know how devastating it is,"' Jenner told the two blonds. That remark made Jennifer positive that TS-19 was Jenner's significant other and she could only feel pity for him. She found it ironic that she went through the same thing and she was now showing the one emotion she hated for people to show her.

"Scan to the second event," Jenner said after attempting to comfort Andrea, "The resurrection times vary wildly. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute… seven seconds."

_Four hours, eighteen minutes, and twenty-nine seconds_… the numbers flashed in Jennifer's head as she recalled her past. She knew that time was spot on because after her sister stopped breathing, the woman held her sister's limp body as the tears silently fell from her eyes. She then watched the clock until she heard the soft rasps of her sister's breath starting up again.

Something changed on the screen, the now darkened brain began lighting up with small red lights that slowly began to spread out just as the blackness had.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked approaching the doctor.

"No, just the brain stem," Jenner said looking back at the woman before putting his focus on the image before them, "Basically, it gets them up and moving."

"But they're not alive," Jennifer stated in a low voice as she her eyes darted across the monitor making unwanted memories resurface. It wasn't a question but Jenner took it as one and answered it for her.

"You tell me," Jenner said motioning to the monitor as he backed into the group by Rick's side.

Rick just bit his lip and pointed out the obvious, "It's nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark."

"Dark, lifeless, dead," Each word that left Jenner's mouth slashed Jennifer, opening the already healed wounds in her heart. But being who he was Jenner continued, "The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part that doesn't come back. The _you _part. Just a shell, driven by mindless instinct."

The figure on the screen began moving and opening its mouth until a beam shot through its head and the barrel of a gun could be seen in the top right corner. The figure's mouth opened before it ceased all movement.

"God. What was that?" Carol asked.

"He shot her in the head," Jennifer mindlessly spoke before Jenner could answer.

"VI, power down the main screen and the workstations," Jenner spoke clearly as he folded his arms and walked away from the screen. Jennifer watched the screen go black.

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Now Jennifer had turned around as Andrea asked the doctor with a worried tone. All eyes were now on the doctor expecting an answer and hoping what Andrea said was untrue.

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal," Jenner said slowly lowering the hope the group had held onto until now.

"Or the wrath of God?" Jacqui said as she rested her arm one on of the computers and put the other on her hip.

"There is that," Jenner said shrugging his shoulders.

"Somebody must know something," Andrea said desperately, "somebody somewhere."

"There are others, right? Other facilities?" Carol asked her voice cracking a little.

Jenner took a moment nodding his head and choosing his words carefully, "There may be some. People like me."

"But you don't know? How can you not know?" Rick asked the doctor forcefully.

"Everything went down," Jenner said in defense, "Communications, directives all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month."

"So it's not just here. There's nothing left anywhere? Nothing?" Andrea asked shaking her head in disbelief, "That's what you're really saying, right?"

Jenner looked down and swallowed hard as the people looked to him for an answer he didn't have.

"So in other words, we're fucked," Jennifer said, "Looks like it's time to get the booze."

"Man, I'm going to get shitfaced drunk again," Daryl said through Andrea's heavy breathing as he walked to a computer and rested his head on it.

"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but…" Dale began as he made his over to the left side of the room, "That clock it's counting down. What happens at zero?"

"The basement generators they run out of fuel," he said quickly walking away trying to dodge the question.

"And then?" Rick asked, but the doctor ignored his question and continued walking, "VI, what happens when the power runs out?"

"When the power runs out, facility-wide decontamination will occur," the monotone voice echoed through the room. Jennifer's palms got sweaty as she listened. She knew exactly what would happen when the power would run out.

* * *

Jenner stalked through the halls as many of the group members followed closely behind questioning him. The men that had gone to check on the generators came running in as the group entered and Lori called out to her husband. Jennifer had remained with Lori trying to reason out what was going on.

"Jenner what's happening?" Rick asked as he met the doctors pace.

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark," Jenner said as the group rounded a corner into the large computer room and the clock came into view. 31:28 that's what the clock read.

Jenner took a swig of the alcohol he had snatched from Daryl then halted at the stairs and handing the bottle back to Daryl. The redneck snatched the bottle from his hands, spilling some of the alcohol on the ground in the process.

"It was the French," Jenner said looking back at Andrea before he continued up the stairs.

"What?" she asked confused.

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know," he said to her, "While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution."

"What happened?" Jacqui asked concerned.

"The same thing that's happening here," Jenner said as sweat formed on his skin, "No power grid. Ran out of juice."

"The world runs of fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?" Jenner said as he moved towards his computer.

"Let me tell you-"Shane said as he jumped up the stairs and ran for Jenner.

"To hell with it, Shane. I don't even care," Rick said stepping up to grab his friend.

"Lori, grab our things. Everybody, get you stuff. We're getting out of here _now_!" Rick the sweat visible on his face. Everyone began to scramble back to the hallways when a loud alarm began to go off. The group stopped and looked around questioning the noise.

"30 minutes to decontamination," VI answered their questions. The screen they had watched the vigil on now lit up with a countdown clock. Red lights blinked as Jenner scanned a card on a control pad and Daryl yelled.

"Doc, what's going on here?"

"Everybody, y'all heard Rick," Shane said to the group, "Get your stuff and let's go! Go now! Go!"

"Everyone began rushing to get their belongings when Jenner entered a code into the keypad and the door to the room was sealed. Rick tried to run for the door but wasn't fast enough. They stared at the door not believing that this was happening.

"Did you just lock us in?" Glenn asked in a scared tone. Until the panic set in and he began yelling, "He just locked us in!"

Jenner moved towards one of the computers and quickly started it up, "We've hit the 30-minute window. I am recording," Jenner spoke to the monitor.

"You son of a bitch!" Daryl yelled. Everyone began rushing back into the room and Jennifer just remained where she was. She hadn't said anything or done anything she just stood there with an emotionless face, there were no emotions for her to display. Watching that vigil had made Jennifer remember too much and that left her as a shell of a woman.

She watched as Daryl ran for Jenner and actually grabbed him before Shane and T-Dog held him back. The way he kicked his legs and waved his arms with the bottle e in hand reminded Jennifer of a child.

"Hey, Jenner, open that door now," Rick tried to say in a nice voice but with death looming over him he couldn't help be a little forceful.

"There's no point. Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed," Jenner said as he fixed his lab coat and tried to go back to doing his work.

"Well, open the damn things," Jennifer couldn't tell the voice from all the commotion going on, she could only tell it was a man.

"That's not something I control. The computers do," Jenner said matter-of-factly, "I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that."

Rick paced around and all eyes focused on him awaiting instructions. Carol grabbed her daughter and Sam who had been holding Sophia's hand. Sam looked up at Jennifer with scared eyes and Jennifer could only stare into the familiar pale blue eyes before looking away. She couldn't take the sadness in the young girl's eyes it was too much to handle in a situation, like this.

"It's better this way," Jenner said.

"What is?" Rick questioned as he took a step towards the doctor, "What happens in 28 minutes?"

Jenner ignored the man's question and went back to his work, his fingers rapidly clacking the buttons on the keyboard. This annoyed Rick and he yelled, "What happens in 28 minutes?!"

"You know what this place is?!" Jenner finally responded as he rose from his seat and faced Rick head on, "We protected the public from very nasty stuff!" He began to move to Shane and yelled in his face as he had done to Rick. He then backed off and continued his rant, "Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!"

Jenner calmed himself, adjusted his lab coat, and said, "In the event of a catastrophic power failure in a terrorist attack, for example H.I.T.s are deployed to prevent any organism from getting out."

"H.I.T.s?"

"VI, define H.I.T.s," Jenner said.

"H.I.T.S, high-impulse thermo baric fuel-air explosives consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any known explosive except nuclear. The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between five thousand degrees and six thousand degrees and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structure us desired."

As VI spoke, Carol held onto the two girls in her grasp and began crying. Rick hugged his wife and son as tears began to fall from Lori's eyes. Glenn rubbed his hands through his hair. As for Jennifer, she began to breathe heavily as she was reminded of what was going to happen. Her wide eyes lifted from the ground to Jenner's and she spoke, "It sets the air on fire."

And this is what broke Jennifer. This is what brought her from the past back into the present. This is what filled her with emotions once more, but she could only feel a single emotion. Anger.

The woman rushed for the doctor and was almost stopped by Rick but she was too fast. She was able to get Jenner and land a punch across his cheek and was about to get a second one, but Shane swooped in and pulled the girl from the doctor.

This wasn't going to stop her though. She frantically tried to get out of the man's hold yelling, "Get off of me!" She squirmed pout of Shane's grasp and removed the hair from her face as she breathed heavily.

"Don't you want to be with your sister again?" Jenner asked as Jennifer turned her back to him and made her way to the door.

The woman stopped dead in her tracks as she looked over her shoulder, "What did you just say?"

"Don't you want to be reunited with your little sister and not have to worry about what's out there?" Jenner said to the woman who was slowly turning to the man with sharp eyes, "You could say sorry for what you had to do to her."

Jennifer marched over to Jenner and grabbed the man by the shirt slamming him into the computers, "What the fuck do you want me to say?" Jennifer screamed, "You want me to tell you about how I had to put a bullet into my baby sister's head. Do you want me to tell you how I held her body for hours, unable to move. Or maybe you want me to describe what I was thinking when a stranger took a bite out of my sister's leg! Is that what you want?!"

"The only reason I'm living now is because I promised that I would survive. I promised my sister that I would survive this thing for her," Jennifer said. Her voice was still panicked but she had stopped yelling on now tears welled up in her eyes as she relived the day her life turned to shit.

Jennifer slowly let go of the doctor's shirt and straightened up. She swallowed the lump in her as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She ran her hand through her hair and gazed at the people surrounding her. All of them were wide-eyed from, her sudden outburst. They all had witnessed her outburst with Lori but this time it was different.

When Jennifer's eyes fell on Sam she saw the wide scared eyes before but the small girl quickly hid her face. Jennifer saw the scared look in her eye and she could only think that she had been the cause of that fear.

Jenner searched Jennifer's distressed face and sighed, "I told you, topside is locked I can't open those."

The people looked to the doctor as he scanned a key card, typed in a code, and the doors that Daryl had been hitting now opened.

As the others rushed out, Jennifer watched Jenner shake Rick's hand before pulling him in and whispering something into his ear.

"I assume you already know?" Jenner said to Jennifer when he was finished. She nodded her head just as Lori came to pull the two away to safety.

"We got four minutes left come on!" Glenn yelled. They were about to leave when Jacqui proclaimed that she was staying.

"There's no time to argue and no point, not if you want to get out," she told T-Dog who tried desperately to get her to come with them, "Just get out. Get out."

With that, the group ran down the halls as quickly as they could, trying to get out in time. They climbed stairs in the dark with only flashlights to guide them and the rapid sounds of footsteps filling the air. Jennifer was leading the group because she knew the area best.

When the group made it to the place they entered, they urgently banged against the doors, trying to open them. Daryl and Shane ran to windows where they banged against them with the axe they had taken from the computer room.

"Stay close, sweetie," Carol said holing her daughter close, just as Lori did with her child and the blond orphan. The men continued chopping at the doors without even putting a scratch on it.

"Daryl, look out!" T-Dog yelled as he ran up to the window with a door and slammed the chair into it. Jennifer heard the cock of a gun and then heard Shane yell.

"Dog, get down! Get down!" He fired a single round at the window and nothing happened, "Jesus."

"The glass won't break?" Sophia's high voice said from the spot on the ground her mother had told her to duck.

"Wait a minute!" Jennifer yelled as she dug something out of her backpack.

"Jennifer, I don't think a nail files gonna do it," Shane said to the woman as she continued to search. When she brought her hand back out, resting in it was a grenade.

"Everyone get down!" Jennifer yelled as she tossed her back pack down and ran over to the window. Everyone ran to the stairs and ducked down so their back was facing the window. Jennifer pulled the cord on the grenade and the latch was thrown up. She dropped the grenade and began running.

"Get down! Get down!" the others yelled as she ran. There was the sound of an explosion and Jennifer was thrown to her side sliding across the floor. The glass shattered and the group quickly regained their feet moving towards the now window. Jennifer slung her backpack over her shoulder and jumped through the window as she followed the others.

The sound of the explosion must have attracted walkers because a number of them were now swarming around them. They easily took them out as they ran for the vehicles. She ended up in Shane's Jeep waiting for him to start it when she saw two figures exiting the CDC.

"Look!" She yelled pointing at them when she realized it was Dale and Andrea. Before Jennifer could see any more, she felt Shane's large hand wrap around the back of her neck and force her head downwards. She heard the loud explosion and was thankful that Shane was there to remind her about how powerful the explosion was. She heard the sound of an explosion and the building as it fell into itself.

Shane's hand slowly slid from her neck and they both looked up at the remains of the CDC. Nothing but fire and stone was left and Jennifer thought her last goodbyes to Dr. Edwin Jenner as Shane started the Jeep and the group pulled away from the destruction.

* * *

**Haha not what you were expecting was it? Didn't think those two would hook up? And Jennifer with her total melt down. Please review and tell me if you like please please please! I'll try super hard not to be late with the next chapter. **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

After leaving the CDC, the group decided to siphon the gas out of Daryl's truck and Shane's Jeep so they could save on gas. That was fine with Daryl because he could ride Merle's motorcycle, but that left Jennifer and Shane without a ride. They had to cram into the RV with Dale, Andrea, Glenn, T-Dog and Sam.

Jennifer sat in the back of the RV with T-Dog reading one of the books Dale had. Shane and Andrea were talking about guns, Sam was coloring, and Glenn was studying a map while talking to Dale, all was peaceful… for a moment.

"Here," Jennifer heard the small voice say forcefully. Jennifer lowered her book and saw Sam in front of her with a juice box in her extended hand.

"What?" Jennifer asked. Seeing how the straw was already in it she didn't need Jennifer's help with that.

"You're supposed to drink it," the young girl whined.

"Put I don't want it," Jennifer whined back putting the book down on the bed.

"Drink it!" Sam screeched as she stuck the juice box closer to Jen's face.

"No!" Jennifer said moving her hand from her face.

"Yes!" This time the little girl tried to stick the bendy straw in Jennifer's mouth but the woman just turned her head making it difficult for the younger girl.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

The two went on like this for a few minutes, attracting the attention of everyone in the RV without realizing it. Finally Jennifer caved and yelled, "Fine!"

She snatched the juice box from the child and held the straw as she drank from it. She looked up and saw Andrea smiling and giggling a little. Next, her eyes moved to Shane who was smirking at her as he cleaned his gun.

Jennifer didn't know why but she turned her head to the side and felt her cheeks tingle a little, alerting her that she was blushing.

_What is wrong with me? Why am I blushing?! All we did was fuck, _she thought as she continued drinking her juice. As Sam trotted off Jennifer picked up her book and continued reading while she drank her juice.

"Oh jeez," Dale said making everyone turn their attention to him. Jennifer put her book down and made her way closer to the front to see what the problem was. Ahead of them was a long line of cars that had once belong to people trying to escape this mess and an overturned eighteen wheeler.

They watched as Daryl passed on his brother's motorcycle stopping at Dale's open window.

"See a way through?" Dale asked the redneck.

Daryl didn't say anything only nodded his head at the path behind him and drove off in the opposite direction of the RV.

"Uh, maybe we should just go back," Glenn said examining a map as Dale slowly inched forward, "There's an interstate bypass-"

Once again, Jennifer heard Daryl's motorcycle and watched as he passed ahead of the RV, as Dale responded to Glenn, "We can't spare the fuel."

Dale was doing a good job navigating through the mass of cars behind Daryl. The redneck was wearing only a vest on his torso with a pair of angel wings on it. This made Jennifer smirk knowing that he was anything but an angel.

"Jeez," Glenn said as they passed a number of cars some flipped over completely, others torn apart, and some looted with absolutely nothing left.

They were following the redneck when all of a sudden something in the front of the RV clanked and a rush of white smoke came from the hood. The engine began to sputter and the RV slowed.

"I said it. Didn't I say it?" Dale said as he threw open the RV's old door and walked out, followed by Jennifer who was relieved to finally get out of the compact vehicle, "A thousand times. Dead in the water."

"Problem Dale?" Someone asked as Jennifer stretched her back making it pop up and down her spine.

"Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of-"Dale began but stopped when Daryl walked past him and reached into the back of an open car, "Okay, that was dumb."

"If you can't find a radiator hose here…" Shane trailed off looking at the cars surrounding him.

"There's a whole bunch of stuff we can find," Daryl said as he continued rummaging through the back of one of the many abandoned cars.

"I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start," T-Dog began to walk through the cars as everyone realized what a gold mine they had struck.

"Maybe some water," Carol said clutching her daughter. This made Jennifer look around for Sam who was by the RV staring at Jennifer with big eyes. Jennifer motioned for the girl to come near her and soon the blond was clutching onto the brunette's hand, "Or food."

"This is a graveyard," Lori said. Jennifer rolled her eyes as everyone looked to Lori as if she were stupid, "I don't know how I feel about this."

"Who cares?" Jennifer said earning her a look from Lori she really didn't appreciate, "We have supplies sitting right in front of our face, might as well get them while we can."

"Alright y'all look around and gather what you can," Shane said to the group as everyone went off in their own direction to scavenge what they could.

Jennifer led Sam down a row of cars as they passed some with dead bodies in them. If it weren't for the terrible stench, accumulating flies, and decomposing flesh you could imagine that the bodies were just sleeping people. Unfortunately, Jennifer didn't have a very active imagination and she couldn't bring herself to believe that these people were just sleeping.

"Ed never let me wear nice things like this," Jennifer and Sam had ended up by Carol and Lori. Carol had found a pretty red top that would suit her so well. When she made that remark Jennifer could hear the crack in her voice and pitied the woman.

"Then taken it," Jennifer said with a warm smile even though she was encouraging stealing, something usually frowned upon, but it wasn't like these people were going to need it back. As the smile on Jen's face held the woman realized that this was the most she had ever smiled in a while. She realized that she was beginning to get accepted by the group and the group was starting to accept her, too. _Maybe I've finally found a place I can call home_, Jennifer thought before she focused back on Carol and reassured her, "It would look nice on you."

Carol smiled back at Jennifer as she held onto the red blouse, "We are going to need clothes."

"Can I stay with Sophia?" Sam said tugging on Jennifer's hand.

"Of course," Jennifer said smiling. Even though the young girl seemed to act aggressively and always bickered with Jennifer, the two had grown a strong bond ever since her father died. And Jennifer felt that she could relate to the young girl, being that she had also lost her mother at a young age.

Jennifer found herself a nice revolver in one of the cares before she made her way over to Shane who had just found a truck full, of water and was now opening a bottle and letting it poor all over him. He and Glenn were laughing like idiots as Glenn began quickening the pace at which he was turning his screwdriver.

"Save some for the rest of us, cowboy," Jennifer said as she approached the dowsed man. He smiled at her before splashing some water at her. She quickly backed up not wanting to get her rifle wet, "Whoa, watch it."

Jennifer still had the smile on her face when she looked up and saw Rick with his rifle raised. _Must be a walker, _Jennifer thought as she caught sight of Dale on the RV. He was lowering himself to the ground of the RV when Jennifer felt a pull on her arm and she was brought to the ground.

"What?" Jennifer asked as the two rolled under the truck Shane had just been getting water from.

"Shh," the man said as he brought his arms around Jennifer and held her close to him. She felt the water from his shirt seep into her clothes as he held her to his chest. Jennifer's thoughts were all over the place wondering what was happening until she heard the low groans and saw feet walking past the truck they were under. That's when Jennifer realized what was happening. A herd was passing through.

Jennifer squirmed in Shane's arms as she searched for Sam. His grip tightened slightly on her but she was finally able to spot the small girl huddled under a car a little while down. Sam stared at Jennifer with wide fearful eyes making the woman want to run down and save the child.

The herd had finally passed and Shane was beginning to loosen his grip on Jen. And that's when she heard it. The sound of Sam screaming. Jennifer watched as the walker tried to grab Sam from under the car. The blond quickly scooted out from under the vehicle and made a break for the woods as two walkers followed her.

"Jennifer!" the young girl yelled before disappearing into the wilderness.

Jennifer immediately broke Shane's grip and rolled out from under the truck. She ran for the side of the highway as she heard Shane close behind her. Without even stopping, Jennifer jumped the railing only to roll down the steep hill. Jennifer hit the ground and left herself no time to recover before she got to her feet. She would have continued but she soon felt Shane's muscular arms wrap around her.

"I have to go get her," Jennifer said looking up at the man with frantic eyes. Rick passed them as he chased after the girl and Jennifer continued to try to break Shane's hold to no avail.

"Jen, calm down," he whispered to her, burying her face into his chest as he rested his head on hers.

"Get the fuck off of me! I have to get Sam!" Jennifer screeched as she thrashed in the man's hold. The more she squirmed the tighter his grip got until she finally calmed down and Shane relaxed a little.

"Look, we're going to go out there and find her," Shane said in a calm voice as he looked into her eyes and gripped the side of her face.

"Okay," she breathed as Shane helped her up the hill and back onto the highway. When Jennifer looked to the group she saw sullen faces on all of them except one. Daryl stood there with a cold look as he gazed at the two.

* * *

An engine revved in the background and Jennifer listened to the sound of tires slapping pavement. Shane, Glenn, and Daryl had gone off to help Rick, but soon Shane and Glenn had returned. Shane had gotten the group to start clearing the cars from the road so the RV could pass.

"Why aren't we all out there looking?" Jennifer asked as she approached Dale. She ran her thumb under the strap of her rifle, "Why are we moving cars?"

"We have to clear enough room so I can get the RV turned around as soon as it's running," Dale said as he made motions with his hands and looked at the younger woman as if they weren't in the current situation they were in. Jennifer knew what they were really doing, they were trying to preoccupy everyone from the current situation and apparently it was working for Dale, "Now that we have fuel we can double back to a bypass that Glenn flagged on the map."

Jennifer turned as Shane approached, his hair was still a little damp from the water, as were his clothes, his tan shirt was unbuttoned revealing his toned chest and the 22 necklace he always wore, and he carried his shotgun as he breathed heavily from the heat of the sun.

"Going back's going to be easier than trying to get through this mess," he spoke not looking at Jennifer but instead at the sea of cars before them.

"We're not going anywhere until we find Sam," Jennifer said matter-of-factly to him.

"Hey, that goes without saying," Lori said to the woman.

"Rick and Daryl, they're on it, okay?" Shane spoke once more and this time he looked at the woman and stepped closer to her. He spoke as if she were a child that had lost a toy and that didn't sit well with Jennifer.

"I understand that," Jennifer said trying to cool her fiery temper as she turned to walk away. Unfortunately she couldn't hold her tongue, "And if you ever talk to me as if I were a child again, Shane, I'll fucking kill you."

* * *

The sun was setting painting the sky a mixture of orange and blue with white puffs here and there. Jennifer was still sitting on the car she had positioned herself on hours ago as she bit the last of her nails waiting for Sam. She heard footsteps but didn't turn her head; she kept her gaze focused on the woods waiting for something, anything.

The footsteps slowed as they got closer and it wasn't until Andrea put a hand on Jennifer's shoulder that she turned to the blond.

"It's going to be dark soon," Jennifer said as she looked from Andrea, to the ground, and then back into the forest.

"They'll find her," Andrea reassured the woman. Jennifer looked into the woman's blue eyes and saw a genuine look before looking back into the woods as she felt the hand leave her shoulder. She appreciated Andrea because there was something about her attitude that differed from Lori's, something that didn't want to make Jennifer want to punch her every time a word left her mouth.

Jennifer watched the woods once more as she tapped her fingers on the hood of the car trying to calm her wild nerves.

She heard rustling in the trees and immediately jumped from the car to go stand at the edge of the highway. Rick came into view, followed by Daryl, but nowhere could she see Sam. Jennifer felt a heavy weight fall upon her shoulders as she asked the question she already knew the answer to, "You didn't find her?"

"Her trail went cold," Rick said as he stepped over the railing. The shirt he wore was once white but was now dirtied by blood, dirt, and sweat, "We'll [pick up again at first light."

"You can't leave her out there on her own. Jennifer said pleaded.

"Out in the dark's no good," Daryl said in a hoarse voice, "We'd just be tripping over ourselves. More people get lost."

"She's only six, she can't survive a night alone in the woods," By now the group had gathered behind her listening to the three.

"I know this is hard," Rick began as he held his hands up to calm the girl down, "But we know she's out there."

"And we tracked her for a while," Daryl said as Jennifer bit her lip and stared down at the ground before looking up at the men and nodding. She knew they were right but that still didn't change her mind about running into the woods and looking for her. Jennifer didn't know if she could take this… again.

"We have to make this an organized effort," Rick addressed the group, "Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this."

"That's blood," Jennifer asked as she saw the stain on Daryl shirt and her eyes widened. This was the most flustered they group had ever seen Jennifer and they hoped that they would find Sam soon to relieve the woman's stress.

"We took down a walker."

"Fuck," Jennifer said as she ran her hands through her hair.

"There were no signs that it was anywhere near Sam," Rick said trying to calm the woman.

"How can you know for sure?"

Rick hesitated then looked to Daryl for him to answer, "We cut the sum bitch open."

Jennifer got a little light headed and sat on the railing next to her. Carol, Lori, and Andrea soon filled the open space next to her as they rubbed the woman's back and gaze her hopeful words, but Jennifer could only watch as the men walked away wishing to go back out in to the woods to search and knowing that she would.

* * *

"Everybody takes a weapon," Rick said as he unfolded a bag of tools Carl had found.

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need," Andrea said as Jennifer picked up a hatchet and examined it, "What about the guns."

"Guns are too loud," Jennifer said dropping the weapon to look at the blond, "And these will kill a walker just as well as a gun."

"And we've been over that," Shane said from the shade of the RV, "Daryl, Rick, Jen, and I are carrying them. We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles."

"It's not the trees I'm worried about."

"Say somebody fires at the wrong moment, a herd happens to be passing by. See, then it's game over for all of us," As Shane spoke, Jennifer set down the hatchet and picked up a machete with a curved blade. She could her Shane talk but wasn't really listening as she focused on picking out a weapon, "So you need to get over it."

Jennifer heard Daryl talking and then saw his icy blue eyes meet hers. All was silent and she assumed he had asked her something so she just nodded pretending that she had actually been listening.

"Stay quiet, stay sharp," Rick said, "Keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other."

"Everybody assemble your packs," Shane said flipping a water bottle in his hand. Jennifer had finally decided to use the hatchet as she sheathed her knife and put her pistol in its holster. She gave the other one to T-Dog for just in case purposes.

Jennifer had been pacing around the cars when she overheard Dale and Andrea arguing over something.

"Gratitude?" Andrea asked Dale, "I wanted to die my way. Not torn apart by drooling freaks. That was my choice. You took that away from me, Dale."

"But-"Dale began only to be interrupted.

"But you know better?" Andrea shook her head before continuing, "All I wanted after my sister died was to get out of this endless, horrific nightmare we live every day. I wasn't hurting anyone else. You took my choice away Dale and you expect gratitude?"

A tear slipped from Andrea's eye as she scanned the man's face, "I don't know what to say."

"I'm not your little girl. I'm not your wife and I am sure as hell not your problem. That's all there is to say," With that Andrea walked away from the blanked face Dale. The group followed the blond as they began the hunt for Sam.

* * *

Daryl led the group through the woods with Jennifer and Shane bringing up the rear. Shane had his shot gun in hand and Jennifer had the hatchet just in case any spare walkers came wondering through.

"Shane, look, " Carl said with excitement as he turned to the man showing him a small knife, "Dad said I could carry it and mom said as long as I was-"

"Keep it down. We're looking for Sam," Shane said to Carl making his smile disappear, "You need to focus on the task."

"Got to keep up," Lori said to Carl as the defeated kid caught up to his mother.

"I am," he whispered as Lori watched Shane and Jennifer linger behind.

"You didn't have to be so hard on the kid," Jennifer said once Lori and Carl were out of ear shot.

"Yeah, well we need to focus," Shane said as the two slowly continued.

"You're right," Jennifer said as she continued on at a faster pace, leaving Shane behind. Jennifer passed others in the group and came up behind Daryl and Rick. In the distance, she could see a gray and yellow tent behind a thicket of trees. The group slowly crept behind Daryl as they approached the tent.

"She could be in there," Shane stated the obvious.

"No shit Sherlock," Jennifer whispered to the man as she looked at him from the corner of her eye, "There could be a whole bunch of things in there."

Rick motioned for the group to stay behind as him, Daryl, Shane, and Jen approached the tent. Daryl had his crossbow poised and was ready to fire at anything as they made their way to the tent. When they were a few feet from it Daryl motioned for the three to stay behind as he pulled out a hunting knife and crept closer to the tent.

He sat the crossbow against an ice chest and positioned himself at the entrance of the tent. He peeked in through the small crack in the door before moving to the side to check the covered windows. He lifted his arms up; not knowing what was in there.

"Jen," Rick said as the trio approached the tent, "Call out softly. If she's in there yours is the first voice she should hear."

"Sam," Jennifer said softly as Rick had warned her to, "Are you in there?"

Daryl stood at the entrance with his knife up ready to stab anything that wasn't Sam.

"Sam, it's Jennifer."

Rick crept closer to the tent and Shane followed. As he passed Jennifer, he rubbed his hand against her back and continued on.

Daryl slowly unzipped the tent and pulled the curtain up revealing a chair with someone in it. The back was facing the entrance but judging from, the foul smell that escaped the tent it had to be a dead body. The stench was even strong enough to reach Jennifer where she put her hand over her mouth and pinched her nose shut to avoid the odor.

The men at the entrance were gagging when Jennifer called out, "Daryl?" He had disappeared inside of the tent and they were unable to see his actions through the thick cloth of the tent's doorway.

"It ain't her," Daryl said exiting the tent.

"What's in there?" Andrea asked.

"Some guy. Did what Jenner said opted out," as he spoke he picked up his crossbow and wiped some dirt off of the front where it had been on the ground before slinging it over his shoulder, "Ain't that what he called it?"

Just then, in the distance, the sound of church bells ringing could be heard. The group looked around curious of the noise's origin. They quickly found the direction from which they were coming and the group took off in that direction.

"That way," Jennifer pointed as she jumped from a large rock as the group followed close behind.

* * *

The group followed Jennifer into a clearing where an old white church stood. There were grave stones throughout the area and it looked like a normal church except it was missing one thing.

"That can't be it. It has no steeple," Shane had also noticed the flaw in this church but Jennifer pressed on anyways, eager to investigate.

"Jennifer," Shane called out. She ran for the church and the group quickly followed as she weaved her way through the scattered grave stones.

They approached the pavement in front of the church and swiftly checked the enclaves to assure themselves that there were no walkers. Rick was the first up the stairs with Daryl close behind. They slowed at the large red doors and removed their weapons ready to attack.

Jennifer quickly hopped up the stairs, hatchet in hand, and ignored Rick and Daryl's precautions, it was hot and she had had too many disappointments recently, she was starting to get pissed. She kicked the door open and saw three walkers sitting in the pews. They turned to her snarling as she ran up the first one buried the hatchet deep into her head. The second was only two pews away so Jennifer easily jumped over one and cleanly cut through the walker's head. The final walker was at the far end of the room and in one swift movement Jennifer withdrew her blade and threw it at the walker. The knife dug itself into the right side of the walker's face sending it to the floor with a loud _Thump!_ She moved to the fallen walker and pulled her knife from its head before looking to the others.

Everything had happened so quickly that they were still standing there with their weapons raised, a look of awe covering everyone's face. They had known Jennifer could fight from what they saw with her and Daryl but it didn't hit them until now how good she was.

The men entered the church and searched a bit as Daryl made his way to the cross in the front of the church with Jesus hanging from it.

"Yo J.C., you taking request?"

"I'm telling you, it's the wrong church. It's got no steeple," Shane said peeling Jennifer's attention from the redneck to him, "There's no steeple."

As if what he said had triggered it, the bells began chime again. Daryl pushed his way through the crowd at the door, making him the first one out as he raced to the side of the church. They hurried to the side of the church were a speaker sat under the shade of the roof imitating the sound of church bells. Glenn opened the box it was hooked to and pulled a lever making it stop.

"A timer. It's on a timer," Daryl said raising his weapon to the speaker. He was panting and Jennifer didn't blame him, it was so hot and they had done so much walking and running. She even felt a little worn after taking out those walkers.

"I'm going back in there for a minute," Jennifer said as she found her way back into the church. She heard Lori follow her into the church and Rick with Carl soon followed. She placed her palms on the table in front of the Jesus statue that sat at the front of the church. Her nails were digging into the wood as she spoke soft words.

"Father, forgive me," the group heard her muffled voice as they sat outside in the shade, "I don't deserve your mercy, but she does. Please, Father, punish me however you wish, but show mercy on her."

Jennifer looked up at the statue only to see resting his head bowed downwards with his eyes closed. Something caught her attention to her right and she saw a stain glass window that held another Jesus, only this one had his eyes open and was staring at Jennifer.

"Don't just stare at me!" Jennifer yelled as she picked up a nearby candle stick and threw it at. The glass shattered and fell to the ground outside. The group rushed to the window only to find Jennifer staring back at them, breathing heavily, with a hostile look in her eyes.

So much for this being her new home…

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it please review. The more reviews I get the quicker I will try to put up chapters so pretty please try to do that. **


	7. Chapter 7

**I hope you like, please review. I'm always open to suggestions.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters**

* * *

Chapter 7:

The crunch of leaves being stepped on and twigs snapping echoed through the trees as the group headed back to camp. It was Daryl, Jennifer, Andrea, Lori, Carol, and Glenn, the others, Shane, Rick, and Carl, had stayed back to check out a little more around the church.

"So this is it?" Carol asked as she stopped to rest on a fallen tree, "This the whole plan?"

"I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller and smaller groups," Daryl said as he leaned against a tree. The group had now halted for a breather as they gathered around.

"Carrying knives and pointy sticks," Andrea spoke before turning to Lori and saying, "I see you have a gun."

"Why, you want it?" Lori asked the woman defending her ground as she pulled out the small revolver Daryl had given her, "Here, take it."

She offered the gun to Andrea and Jennifer found herself respecting Lori a little more now that she has seen the woman hold her ground against the blond.

"I'm sick of the looks you're giving me," Lori continued as she stared Andrea in the eye. Andrea's mouth had dropped and she shook her head before taking the gun from Lori, "All of you."

And just like that, the respect was gone. Lori sat on a stone and Jennifer got a little irritated at her last statement. _I haven't even looked at you since we left the church, _Jennifer thought. She was certainly giving a look at Lori now, an exhausted look that said 'Can you stop with the bullshit? I'm ready to get back to the highway'. Lori met Jennifer's gaze full on and that reminded the older woman about something she wanted to say to Jen.

"Honey, I can't imagine what you're going through and I would do anything to stop it," It took Jennifer a moment to realize that the woman was talking to her even though they were staring each other dead in the eye, "But you have got to stop blaming Rick. It is in your face every time you look at him."

Lori looked at Jennifer, who was only getting angrier by the second; with a stern look as if she were a school teacher and Jennifer was a young child who had done something wrong. This look made Jennifer's anger only worsen. In fact, every time Lori spoke Jennifer found herself becoming even angrier than the last and soon that pent of rage would have to be released, again.

"When Sam ran he didn't hesitate, did he? Not for a second," Lori continued her rant, "I don't know that any of us would have gone after her the way he did or made the hard decision that he had to make or that anybody could have done it any differently. Y'all look to him and then you blame him when he's not perfect. If you think you can do this without him, go right ahead. Nobody is stopping you."

Jennifer stared at the ground and bit her lip before she lifted her head to the woman. Everyone was watching her now, but she didn't care her only concern was the woman in front of her. Jennifer let a breath before she spoke in a nice even voice. She was worn out physically, mentally, and emotionally from the day and she did not want to listen to Lori's rant.

"Well, I'm sorry; I didn't realize I was giving Rick mean looks. If you haven't noticed, I am going through a very difficult time trying not to relive the events of my past. No Rick didn't hesitate when Sam ran, but neither did I. **I** could have been out there finding her myself if Rick hadn't made me stay back, but that's in the past and I don't care anymore. What I care about is you sticking your nose in my business when I'm not your problem and I never will be. And I can manage just fine on my own, the months before I met this group I was doing just fine and I can survive by myself without a leader any day."

She had just lied to Lori. She knew she could manage to stay alive on her own, but she couldn't manage to stay sane. She had been alone for too long and it had taken its toll on her mind, she couldn't stand it for that long again. She didn't have to stay with the group for survival, even though it was a relief to not have to put her life on the line as much getting supplies, but rather because she feared the thought of being alone.

"We need to keep moving, "Andrea said as the two women continued their stare down. Only then, did Jennifer turn and head for Daryl's direction. She could feel his eyes on her and saw as he nodded his head in their direction signaling for the group to continue.

* * *

Gun shot rang out through the forest as the group continued through. Lori was the only one to stop and stare back but the rest of the group also halted when Andrea stopped and asked.

"You still worrying about it?"

"It was a gunshot," Lori said with her back to the group.

"We all heard it," Daryl reassured.

"Why one? Why just one gunshot?" Lori asked turning to them with a worried look in her brown eyes.

"Maybe they took down a walker," Daryl brushed off her worry. Jennifer gazed at him and realized how dirty he was. Sure everyone wasn't sparkling clean but they weren't as dirty as the redneck. His skin looked tan from all the dirt that covered it and gleamed in the sunlight from the sweat sticking to him. His vest was marked with blood and his hands had a few cuts on them.

"Please don't patronize me," Lori said breaking Jen's attention from the man. She was talking fast as her worrying only increased, "You know Rick wouldn't risk a gunshot to put down one walker. Or Shane. They'd do it quietly."

"Shouldn't they have caught up with us by now?" Carol asked in an innocent voice.

"There's nothing we can do about it anyway," Daryl said, "Can't run around these woods chasing echoes."

"So what do we do?" Lori asked in a tone that implied 'Tell us what you think if you know it all'.

"Same as we've been. Beat the push for Sam, work our way back to the highway," Daryl responded and Jennifer agreed with the redneck. If something had happened with Rick and the others, they would be able to handle it themselves. Plus, that shot could have nothing to do with Rick, Carl, and Shane.

"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV," Andrea tried to set Lori's mind at rest. Lori looked at the ground, then to the direction of the sound, and back at the ground before she pressed on with the group.

Jennifer remained in her place looking into the woods her mind wandering through all the different situation Sam could be in. She breezed through the ones she wished were real while her mind halted on the ones she feared. _What if she's alone and scared in some abandoned house? What if she is being chased by walkers? What if she __**is **__a walker? What i-._

"I'm sorry for what you're going through," Andrea broke her thoughts once again and the woman looked at her, "I know how you feel."

"I suppose you do," Jennifer looked at the blond her lip twitching trying to form a smile she wished she could show but was unable to. She appreciated these few words from Andrea and was glad she had the courage to reach out to her, even after the scene with Lori. "Thank you."

"Not knowing if she's dead or alive is what's really killing me," Jennifer said as she looked back out into the wilderness, "I'm just hoping and praying she's okay."

"We're all hoping and praying, for what it's worth," Andrea said to the woman as she gazed back into her blue eyes. The twitch in her lip was back as she tried to smile, but she didn't have to show it through her mouth because Andrea could see the look of appreciation she held in her eyes.

"I'll tell you what it's worth, not a damn thing," Daryl said making the two women look at him as he approached. Jennifer was ready to kick his ass right there in the woods, but then he continued talking and what he said made Jennifer rethink her actions, "It's a waste of time all this hopin' and prayin'. 'Cause we're gonna locate that little girl, she's gonna be just fine."

Daryl stared right into Jennifer's eyes as he spoke but looked away leaving Jennifer with a small sliver of hope. The man glanced between the two as he spoke, "Am I the only one Zen around here? Good Lord."

Jennifer watched as the redneck walked away. His biceps were clearly visible as he held his crossbow, the muscle in his back moved perfectly, and Jennifer peeked down a little lower to look at his nice firm ass.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Lori said making Jennifer look from the redneck to her. _Where did Andrea go?_ Jennifer wondered as she looked around and saw the blond walking a few feet ahead. She decided to do the same and began walking as Lori lingered at her side.

"I'm sorry too," Jennifer spoke, "We've been out her for a while and the heats starting to get to us."

Jennifer decided that maybe she should actually start trying to make friends in the group and going off on her fellow group members was not a good start.

"Drink this," Lori said handing Jennifer a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Jennifer graciously accepted and drank a good bit from the bottle before giving it back to the woman who smiled at her. Jennifer gazed into Lori's brown eyes and could tell that Lori wanted to reach out to her fellow group member just like Jen did so she decided to return the hospitality the best she could by forming a small smile on her lips.

* * *

"We'll lose the light before too long," Daryl said as the group stopped. They stood in a line gazing out into the woods. Lori had her machete rested on her shoulder, Daryl with his crossbow lowered looked to them, Glenn lingered behind, and Jennifer was spinning the hatchet in her hand, "I think we should call it."

"Let's head back. We'll pick it up tomorrow?" Lori asked looking to Jennifer for conformation. Jennifer looked at the woman and nodded her head. She was grateful that Lori had looked to her first for approval even though Jen knew that even if she refused, the woman would refuse to let her stay, but she wouldn't have wanted to anyway. Jennifer was tired and her stumbling around the woods, worn out wouldn't help find Sam and would only endanger Jennifer's life more than it already was.

Daryl whistled and motioned for the group to start heading back.

They continued on and came to a part of the forest occupied by many bushes on the ground. Daryl crept in the lead to help the group navigate through the dense shrubbery. They were in a crooked line with Jennifer in the back in case any walkers decided to make an appearance. Andrea was slowly drifting away from the group when Lori broke the silence that had fallen upon them.

"How much farther?"

"Not much. Maybe a hundred yards," Daryl said as Jennifer sighed ready to get this hunt over with and find Sam, "As the crow flies."

"Too bad we're not crows," Andrea said what Jennifer was thinking. She wandered a little too far from the group and ended up right in a spider's web. It took her a moment to bat off the silky thread and in that moment she fell behind the group. Once it was off, she continued on stepping over branches, and avoiding thorny plants.

"As the crow flies my ass," she said before screaming at the top of her lungs and falling to the ground.

The group had pressed on too far and had lost sight of the woman, but they now backtracked to find her. They saw her crawling away from a walker screaming for dear life as she tried to kick and stab at the once living man. They were rushing to her aid when all of a sudden a woman riding a horse came into view and rode past the walker, hitting in the head with a baseball bat as she did so.

"Lori? Lori Grimes?" the short haired brunette on horseback asked Andrea, who was still on the ground with a collection of twigs and grass in her hair.

"I'm Lori."

"Rick sent me. You've got to come now," The woman said quickly.

"What?" Lori asked in confusion.

"There's been an accident Carl's been shot," she said taking a breath before continuing, "He's still alive but you've got to come now. Rick needs you just come."

Lori began to remove her pack, ready to go with the woman when Daryl intervened, "Whoa whoa whoa. We don't know this girl. You can't get on that horse."

"Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic signal?" the girl asked as her and Lori, bit ignored Daryl's words. Jennifer nodded at the girl before she continued, "Backtrack to Fairburn road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox. The name is Greene."

"Hyah!" The girl yelled whipping the horse as it sped off into the direction it had come. They all stared after it when a low growling noise arose from the walker that the girl had hit when she first arrived.

"Shut up!" Daryl said shooting an arrow through its skull as it rose up.

* * *

"Shot? What do you mean shot?"

"I don't know, Dale. I wasn't there. All I know is this chick rode out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Lori," Glenn said out of breath. After Lori left the group ran back to the highway to tell Dale and T-Dog about what happened.

"You let her?" Dale asked as Jennifer and Daryl climbed over the railing. Dale kept looking back and forth between her and Daryl and she didn't know who Dale was addressing until Daryl spoke.

"Climb down out of my asshole, man," walking away.

"Rick sent her. She knew Lori and Carl's name," Jennifer clarified as she watched Carol run off to comfort her daughter, who had to stay at the RV with T-Dog and Dale while the others hunted for Sam.

"I heard screams was that you?" Dale asked Andrea but she blew him off.

"She got attacked by a walker," Glenn answered for her, "It was a close call."

"Andrea, are you alright?" Dale called out.

She stopped at the Winnebago's door, looked at Dale, and let out a breath as she shook her head from side to side. She then entered the RV and went about her own business. Everyone else did the same, Daryl cleaned his arrows, Dale scavenged for spare parts, and Carol spent time with her daughter doing some kind of schoolwork.

* * *

"I won't do it," Jennifer said, "I can't just leave."

"Jennifer, the group is split. We're scattered and weak," Dale told the woman. They had begun to talk about leaving the highway and Jennifer refused, willing to stay there by herself if necessary.

"What if she found her way back and we weren't here?" Jennifer questioned looking to the group members trying to persuade them.

"If Sam found her way back and we were gone, that would be awful," Andrea said backing up Jen. Jennifer was thankful that she had at least one person agreeing with her.

"Okay," Daryl nodded his dirty head, "we got to plan for this. I say tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull up stakes. Give us a chance to rig a big sign, leave her some supplies. I'll hold here tonight, stay with the RV."

"If the RV is staying, I am too," Dale stated confidently.

"Thank you," Jennifer said in a low voice as the group looked to Andrea.

"I'm in," she said simply.

"Well, if you're all staying then I'm-"Glenn began but was cut short by Dale.

"Not you, Glenn. You're going. Take Carol's Cherokee," Dale said motioning for the woman who hugged her daughter close as the group spoke.

"Me?" Glenn questioned obviously not wanting to leave the group, "Why is it always me?"

"You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people and see what's going on. But most important, you have to get T-Dog, Carol and Sophia there. This is not an option," Dale said as the group looked back at T-Dog who was leaning against the far corner of the RV with a blanket wrapped around his torso even though the Georgia sun was still hot as hell, "That cut has gone from bad to worse. He has a very serious blood infection. Get him to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics. Because of not, T-Dog will die, no joke."

When Dale mentioned antibiotics Daryl turned and walked over to his brother's motorcycle. He picked up the dirty, white rag off of it before he dug through one of the compartments and produced a clear plastic bag with prescription bottled in it.

"Keep your oily rags off my brother's motorcycle," Daryl said throwing the rag at Dale, who fumbled but was still able to catch it. Daryl then set down the bag and began digging, "Why'd you wait till now to say anything? Got my brother's stash."

He rummaged through the bag some more as he called out various names, "Crystal, X. Don't need that."

"Got some kick ass painkillers," he said tossing a small orange bottle to Glenn, who caught it with ease. He looked back in the bag and produced another bottle and tossed it to Dale, "Oxycycline. Not the generic stuff neither. It's first class."

"Merle got the clap on occasion," Daryl dished out the unwanted information shrugging as he walked away.

Dale looked the bottle in his hands over before smiling and moving for the sick T-Dog. T-Dog courteously accepted the painkillers and took as many as Dale would allow him. Dale then guided the man over to Carol's Cherokee and helped him into the passenger's seat. Carol and Sophia were already waiting in the backseat so all they had left to wait on was Glenn. He spoke to Dale for a moment but afterwards, he quickly got into the car and followed the directions the woman had given him.

* * *

Daryl lay on the floor of the RV on the makeshift pallet he had made from a few blankets. He had let Jennifer take the bed while Andrea loaded the guns and Dale took watch. Daryl stared up at the roof with his hands resting behind his head as he listened to the sound of Andrea sliding bullets into the clip of a gun.

The next noise that came to his ear was the soft rustling of sheets as Jennifer turned in her sleep. The rustling stopped for a moment, but then started up again, only this time it was followed by a quiet, "No," that only reached Daryl's ears. This continued and finally Daryl lifted his head a little and watched as the brunette shook her head from side to side and mumbled in her sleep. He looked up at Andrea but the woman was so focused she didn't even notice him. Daryl turned back to Jennifer who was getting more frantic. He could see the sweat that was starting to form on her tan skin and sat up to get a better view of the girl; curious as to if he should wake her from the nightmare she seemed to be suffering.

All of a sudden the woman shot up out of bed. She was breathing heavily and stared down at the sheets wide-eyed. She ran her hand through her brown locks, which looked black in the dark lighting, and rested her head in her hands. Jennifer had been too caught up in what was happening that she neglected to realize that Daryl was watching her.

He stood up from his place on the ground and moved to the table Andrea was at so he could retrieve his clip for his pistol and his crossbow.

"I need my clip now," Daryl reached his hand out to Andrea. This was when Jennifer realized she wasn't alone.

"I'm gonna walk the road, look for the girl," Daryl said in his raspy voice, making Jennifer look up from her hands through the mess of chocolate hair at the blue eyed man. He looked at Jennifer, who was still breathing heavily, and nodded.

Daryl exited the RV and Jennifer quickly threw on her shoes, grabbed her guns, and ran out the RV for Daryl.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," Jennifer said as she tried to fix her shoe. This caught the rednecks attention and he turned around just as the brunette was catching up to him. Daryl nodded and Jennifer thought she saw a hint of a smile before he turned to talk to Dale but she couldn't be sure.

"I'm going for a walk. Shine some light in the forest. If she's out there, give her something to look at," Daryl explained their motives to the man.

"You think that's a good idea?" Dale asked. He had squatted on the corner of the RV so he could be closer to the pair and hear them better.

"It's as good as any," Jennifer said just loud enough for Dale to her as she walked away, passing Daryl who looked up at the man before following the woman.

* * *

Daryl and Jennifer had been walking through the forest in silence as the frogs moaned in the distance and crickets chirped right beneath their feet. They hadn't walked too far from the highway but far enough for it to be out of view. Jennifer kept her flashlight forward and her eyes focused, that was until she saw Daryl's flash light shone into her face from her peripheral vision.

"You got that look on your face same as everybody else," he said when he finally lowered his flashlight and looked in the other direction not meeting Jen's gaze. She didn't have to ask, she knew what he was talking about. She knew that her face had shown feeling of lost hope but now it was probably looking like there wasn't any hope left, but after the dream she had, she felt hopeless, "What the hell's wrong with you people? We just started looking."

"Well, do you think we'll find her?"

"It ain't the Mountains of Tibet. It's Georgia. She could be holed up in a farmhouse somewhere," Daryl's tone was the nicest but something about his words made Jennifer feel reassured and restored some of her lost hope, "People get lost and they survive. Happens all the time."

"But she's only six," Jennifer reminded herself.

"Hell, I was round her age and I got lost," Daryl said peeking Jen's curiosity, "Nine days in the woods eating berries, wiping my ass with poison oak."

"They found you?" Jennifer asked looking at him. Even in the dim light his blue eyes shined like ice. She felt as though her dark brown eyes were dull in comparison to his beautiful ones, but Daryl felt the exact opposite. He liked the way her eyes could go from warm and kind to fiery and aggressive. He also liked the way he could see the smile in her eyes even if her lips were drawn down.

"My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. Merle was doing another stint in juvie. Didn't even know I was gone. I made my way back though. Went straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. No worse for wear. Except my ass itched something awful," Before Jennifer realized it she was unintentionally laughing at the last part of Daryl's story earning her a look from the redneck.

"Sorry," she choked out trying to stop laughing, "I'm sorry, that is a tragic story."

They both looked each other in the eye and began laughing.

"Only difference is Sam's got people looking for her. I call that an advantage," Daryl said as Jennifer looked at him but he didn't meet the woman's eyes. From what Jennifer gathered it seemed like Daryl's father didn't care much for him, his brother was often absent, and his mother wasn't even in the picture.

Jennifer had come from a caring home with a father and sister who were always there and they had always cared for one another. So she couldn't relate to the uncaring father and absent sibling but she could relate to not having a mother in her life. And it was dreadful.

* * *

Once again, Daryl and Jen walked in silence, but this silence was different from the last. There was comfort in this silence. Well, until some rustling came from nearby and the pair immediately went into action. Daryl raised his crossbow and Jennifer searched for her knife, only then did she realize she left it so she was left with only her pistol or her rifle. She decided to let Daryl handle it and not risk the chance of attracting more walkers with her gun.

They crept through the woods and made it to some camp. There was a large tent with a chair set up around a fire pit. The fire had long since been put out but Jennifer could see the old ashes from a fire that was alive once ago.

Just then, the tree branch above the camp shook and Jennifer got closer to Daryl's back, so close that she was almost touching his broad, muscular, tan shoulders.

"What the hell?" Daryl walked up to the tree were a fully alive walker was hanging. A rope was around his neck and Jennifer knew that he had decided to take the easy way out. The monster tried desperately to reach out for them but the rope was too strong and he remained in place. Hanging loosely under him were, at least what used to be, legs. Now they were nothing but blood covered bones. The words Daryl spoke from the paper stuck to the tree confirmed Jen's thoughts about what had happened, "'Got bit. Fever hit. World gone to shit. Might as well quit.' Dumbass didn't know enough to shoot himself in the head. Turned himself into a big swinging piece of bait… and a mess."

The smell was horrid and Jennifer could tell that the thing had been up there a while, baking in the hot Georgia sun. She had smelled much worse than this but it still stunk terribly, especially because they were so close.

"So how did you learn to shoot?" Jennifer asked inadvertently changing the subject.

"Gotta eat," Daryl simply said barely glancing at her. He could barely take his eyes off of the walker, "That's one thing these walkers and us have in common."

"Must be the closet he has gotten to food since he turned," Jennifer said as she walked a bit closer. She was now aligned with Daryl as they stared at the walker, who was frantically trying to get to them.

"Look at him, hanging up there like a big piñata."

"Yeah, and look at his legs, walkers must have come to eat the flesh off of them," Jennifer said crossing her arms.

"Let's head back," Daryl said as he turned and began walking away.

"Shouldn't you…" Jennifer trailed off as she shined her flashlight on the walker and looked at Daryl. He looked from her hazel eyes to the groaning walker before responding.

"No. He ain't hurtin' nobody. Ain't gonna waste an arrow either. He made his choice. Opted out. Let him hang."

Daryl turned to walk away but Jennifer only moved closer to the struggling figure. Daryl watched as she got closer and closer. The walker only became more desperate to get down as Jen moved closer. Daryl walked closer to the woman and thought about what he should say to her.

"Back at the RV, what were you dreaming about?" Jennifer whipped her head around to find that he had moved right behind her. She stared at him wide-eyed nit wanting to reveal the subject of her dream, "It's just a question."

Jennifer looked at the walker then back to Daryl and said, "An answer for an arrow. Fair?"

"Mhm," Daryl said nodding his head. Normally, he wouldn't care about her dreams, and Jen knew this, but the murmuring in her sleep, tossing, and turning, along with the way she awoke as if she were in the exorcist made Daryl curious about what had spooked the strong woman.

"My sister," she said not daring to meet his gaze.

"Not much of an answer," Daryl kept his word and shot the walker clean through the head. He began to walk away but not before saying, "Waste of an arrow."

Jennifer followed him as her feet drug against the underbrush if the forest. She wasn't paying much attention to the ground in front of her when she came to a particularly dense part in the leaves. Her foot caught on something she wasn't able to see and she was sent tumbling to the ground.

Daryl spun around and saw the woman on the ground. He quickly moved to her and helped the woman off of the ground.

"Call that payback for laughing at my itchy ass," He said smirking at her as he helped her get balanced. As his he helped her up she looked up and couldn't help but be entranced by his icy eyes. She stared at him taking in features she hadn't noticed before, like the small mole above his lip that was hidden by his facial hair and the way his facial hair appeared lighter than his actual hair even. She even had to admit that he was handsome. His calloused hand brushed her back sending shivers up Jennifer's spine. _What is wrong with you?_ Jennifer thought as they continued walking. _Why am I feeling this way?_ She shook her head and ignored the feelings as they pressed on for the highway.

* * *

Jennifer could tell they were near the highway from the way the light of her flashlight shined back at her from the metal railing. Soon, they emerged from the woods and approached the RV through the sea of cars. Dale was coming down to greet them but Jennifer hurried into the Winnebago just barely missing him.

She slung her rifle off of her shoulder and leaned it against the table while standing the flashlight up on the table. She then removed the gun she had tucked into her waistband, found her knife, took of her shoes, and put them all in a neat pile next to the bed she would be sleeping in.

Just as the girl was sliding into bed she heard the RV's door open and close. When she looked up she saw Daryl doing the same as she did, removing his weapons and putting them some place safe. Jennifer had to admit she was upset that they didn't find Sam but she appreciated Daryl's effort and the fact that he remained hopeful, even when everyone, including herself, didn't.

Jennifer went to sleep to the sound of Dale and Andrea climbing on top of the RV as they settled in for watch.


	8. Chapter 8

**I want to thank Nelle07, Becca, and Hell's-FunnyHome for reviewing. And an extra thank you to Hell's-FunnyHome for the suggestion. The beginning of this chapter isn't very original but it does get more original in the middle and end.**

**Hope all of you enjoy please review; I'm open to suggestions and tell me if I'm doing good, bad, or in the middle **

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters.**

* * *

Chapter 8:

Jennifer drove along the dirt road that led to the Greene's home. She passed fences lining large fields full of, what looked like to Jennifer, grass. The land was so open and free with the majority of the trees making a boundary around the property. It was nothing like the suburban neighborhood Jennifer had grown up in. She wished she would have had a yard this big to play in with her sister as a child, but their small backyard had been enough to satisfy them with their old swing set and deformed concrete. Jennifer recalled one day, when she was playing with her sister outside, she had tripped over a jagged piece of concrete. She had cut her knee pretty bad. Her sister had started bawling crying at the first sight of her sister's blood. Jennifer had repeatedly tried to reassure her sister that she was fine. It wasn't until Jennifer had cleaned up her cut and started eating ice cream with Mackenzie did her sister stop crying.

Before she knew it, she had pulled up to a large, two story farmhouse where her group members were starting to flood out of along with others, who Jen assumed were the owners of the land. As Daryl parked his bike, Jennifer turned the car off and made her way to the rest of the group to see what had happened.

"How is he?" Dale was the first to speak.

"He'll pull through," Lori said as she nodded her head and a reassured smile formed on her lips. She moistened her lips before continuing. When she spoke she looked to an older man who stood beside a small blond woman. "Thanks to Hershel and his people."

"And Shane," Rick said in a husky, tired voice. He was in obvious need of a shave because his facial hair was starting to grow out in a mixture of gray and black, "We'd have lost Carl if not for him."

Jennifer looked to Shane, who had approached the group; he had shaved his head and was wearing a plaid shirt and a pair of overalls that looked way too big on him. He looked to Jennifer, who just looked him up and down before turning her attention back to the rest of the group. She watched as Dale hugged Rick to comfort the man and Andrea made her way over to T-Dog. It was then that Jennifer noticed the white bandage on the man's arm and she assumed that they had fixed him up.

"How'd it happen?" Dale asked.

"Hunting accident. That's all, just a stupid accident." Rick sounded like he was on edge and Jennifer thought it would be smart not to ask any more questions.

* * *

The younger blond girl, who Carol had introduced to her as Beth, took a stone from the wheel barrel and placed it on the large stack before them. Jennifer was informed that this was supposed to be a funeral for a man named Otis.

"Blessed be God," Hershel spoke from the book before him. He was dressed in a crisp gray suit and Jennifer had to wonder how he was not having a heat stroke, they were in the shade, but even in her shorts and mid sleeve plaid shirt she was hot. The Next one to place a stone on the pile was a man named Jimmy "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to him for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of characters; Otis, who gave his life to save a child's. Now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank you, God, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived, in grace."

"Shane," Jennifer looked at Shane who was staring at the ground with his mouth slightly open and his facial expression indicating that he was deeply in thought, but when Hershel said his name the trance broke and he looked at the older man. "Will you speak for Otis?"

"I'm not good at it," Shane said, not daring to meet Hershel's gaze. He stared at the overalls he was wearing before slightly picking up his head and whispering. "I'm sorry."

These actions were what made Jennifer become suspicious as she looked at the man curiously, trying to read his facial expression.

"You were the last one with him. You shared his final moments." The other blond headed woman named Patricia said as she fought back the tears building up in her eyes. "Please. I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning."

Everyone now looked to Shane and only then did he meet the gaze of Patricia. When she ceased speaking Shane looked away with a look like he didn't know what to do, but he made up his mind and whispered, "Okay." His gaze fluttered from several different places until it rested on a spot in front of him.

"We were about done." He began in a gruff voice. "Almost out of ammo. We were down to pistols by then. I was limping. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. 'We've got to save the boy.' See, that's what he said."

Shane bit his lip before continuing in a sad voice. "He gave me his backpack. He shoved me ahead. 'Run,' he said. He said, 'I'll take the rear. I'll cover you.' And when I looked back…" He paused looking at Patricia with his brown eyes. That's when Jennifer's suspicions were cleared. She recognized the look in his eye. Guilt.

Shane then limped began to limp towards the wheel barrel, speaking as he did so, "If not for Otis," he retrieved a stone from the wheel barrel and limped to the pile, "I'd have never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis. He saved us both. If any death ever had meaning, it was his."

Patricia nodded as Shane placed the stone atop the pile and looked directly at Jennifer.

* * *

After Shane's speech the others had dispersed and went about to do what they wished. Shane watched as Jennifer calmly marched up to him with a devious look in her eye.

"Great story, Shane," she said to him. He was taller than her so she was staring up at him but not by too much. He held a smile on his face from seeing the woman once again. "Too bad it was a lie."

The smile on Shane's face immediately dropped as his eyes grew worrisome as the woman stared up at him with a knowing look on her face. He struggled for words, not knowing how to respond. He had felt a connection with Jennifer and had thought she had felt the same with him. He thought he understood her and could read her, but now she held a secret that could end him. He didn't know if he could trust her or not and the not knowing was what was killing him.

"Don't worry," she leaned in closer and rested her hands on his chest whispering to him, "I won't tell."

She then backed away with a sly grin and walked off. Little did Shane know, she understood more than anyone that sometimes you had to do drastic things to survive.

* * *

Jennifer watched as everyone hustled about trying to set up camp. She spied Daryl, Shane, Andrea, Rick, Hershel and Maggie as they discussed what to do about Sam. As everyone focused on what they were doing, Jennifer knew it was the perfect time to go.

She had overheard Hershel say something about Rick and Shane not being able to go so they postponed the search until tomorrow. Jennifer couldn't wait until tomorrow to search, so she decided to sneak off and look by herself. She figured that with everyone being so busy they wouldn't even notice if she was gone for a few hours. _And anyways, I don't take orders from them; I can do whatever I damn well please, _she thought as she began walking towards the forest with only a glance behind her to make sure no one was looking.

She made it to the line of trees that made up the entrance of the forest and darted in to begin her search. She tried to take in all of the area surrounding her so she would be able to make her way back and not be tromping around the woods for hours going the wrong direction.

She navigated through the forest carefully, trying not to relive what happened last time she was in the forest alone. Her mind started to drift back to what happened in the woods. She thought about Daryl and how he had looked so concerned when he saw her laying on the forest floor. She thought of how a mere touch of his hand had changed something in her, made her feel… different.

_Focus Jennifer!_ Her mind snapped at her_, You are looking for Sam not daydreaming about that racist, sexist, redneck asshole. _Jennifer shook her head and grabbed onto one of the vines that hung from a tree so she could pull herself up a particularly steep incline. Jennifer reached out for a sturdy looking tree to pull her the rest of the way when there was a sharp snap and she went tumbling down the hill. Luckily, this fall wasn't as bad, so she thought. She lay on the ground still clutching the vine. She looked the broken vine in her hand over before scoffing and throwing it to the side. She began picking the leaves out of her hair and brushing the dirt off of her face. When she did so, she felt a pain in her forehead. _Great, now's the time I get a migraine,_ she thought as she rolled her eyes and sat up.

She felt a little woozy and had to hold herself up with one hand on the ground as she felt something warm on her head. As the warmth spread she found her right eye unable to open. When she reached her fingertips up to her forehead she flinched as pain shot through her. When she withdrew her hand she found blood covering her fingertips. That's when she realized what had happened; she must have cut her head open on the way down. She scolded her self for being so careless.

Jennifer frantically searched her pockets for something she could use as a makeshift bandage, to no avail. She then ripped off the bottom of her shirt and held the balled up piece of cloth to her head. Just when she didn't think things could get worse, she remembered that the walkers were attracted to blood and she was currently gushing it.

The woman quickly regained her stance and began backtracking the way she had come. She easily found her path back, but had difficulty watching out for things because the cloth covered her right eye. Eventually, though, the woman found her way back to a small creek she had passed earlier in her hunt. The creek was a few yards from where Jennifer had entered the woods so she decided to stop and wash up quickly.

She kneeled before the stream and began to remove the plaid shirt she was wearing, happy that she was wearing a tank top under it. She dipped her shirt in the water and began to clean her face. She winced when she pressed the cold shirt to the cut above her eyebrow, but quickly got used to the icy touch and held it there. She then unsheathed her knife and began cutting the shirt so she could tie it around her head. When she was done, she neatly sat her knife on the bank of the river.

_Snap!_

The sound rang out, alerting Jennifer. She whipped around and was face to face with something she never would have expected to see. A large, black panther. Its yellow eyes bore into her as it licked its lip, ready to make her its next, meal.

Jennifer quickly turned around to grab her knife, but she was too slow. The large cat pounced on her body. She felt the sharp claws dig into her back and the rush of warmth spread throughout her back as a gasp replaced the scream she was unable to let out.

* * *

The woman's body lay on the dirty ground half in, half out of the shallow stream. Her body twitched slightly and her back barely rose and descended in a shaky pattern. Thick, red blood oozed from her mangled back and dripped from her head. The metallic scent of her blood permeated through the forest and in her tangled web of thoughts she knew that the smell would soon attracted the prowling walkers.

_Move, Dammit! _She thought to herself as she slowly began to drag her arms to her front, collecting dirt as she did so. She refused to die like this. _Move!_

Her mind, or rather her instinct to survive, pushed her forward and got her to her feet. She was hunched over and swaying terribly, but she was still up and moving. Throwing her body from tree to tree, Jennifer found breathing harder with every second that went by and with only one eye to see out of, things weren't getting easier. Luckily, she was only a few feet from the forest's exit.

_Almost there_, her mind was slowly fading out, along with the rest of her world. She gripped onto a tree bordering the woods and quickly slung herself out. She stumbled a bit and was able to hold her ground for a moment before her legs completely gave out and the overwhelming pain in her back took over.

Darkness crept at the edge of her vision and she only hoped that someone had spotted her before she collapsed.

"Get her to Hershel!" Jennifer heard someone yell as a strong pair of arms picked her up before she was engulfed in darkness.

* * *

"Get her on the bed," Hershel commanded over the commotion. Daryl held the bleeding girl close to his chest as the group followed him through the house. Only Rick, Daryl, and Hershel made it past the doorway and into the bedroom, but that was quickly changed when the crowd parted and Shane limped into the room as quickly as he could. He closed the door behind him as Maggie tried to get the crowd to disperse.

Daryl set her one the bed with her stomach down. The three long, jagged lines stretched from her left shoulder blade to her lower back. Jennifer had passed out but something had jolted her awake and she was now faced with the excruciating pain, but she still refused to cry out.

"We have to remove her shirt," Hershel said as he headed to the bathroom to gather the supplies he needed.

"I got it," Daryl didn't hesitate to pull out his knife and cut the already ruined tank top from her body. He did hesitate, though, at her bra strap before cutting it off too. The men slid the bloody clothes from under the dazed girl and threw them to the side, awaiting Hershel's return.

Said man reentered the room ready to proceed. He dowsed a towel in peroxide and began cleaning the wound, making Jen flinch when some of the peroxide dripped into her cut. The other three in the room, Daryl, Rick, and Shane, watched in worry itching to know about Jen's condition. At this point, Jennifer's body had gone numb and she could barely feel the cold cloth drag across her back.

"Oh dear," Hershel said when he had finished cleaning the wound. It was worse clean. It was deeper than Hershel had thought and little pieces of skin dangled from the edges of her wound. Upon further examination, Hershel had realized that small fragments of claw had remained in her wound. "It seems that the claw of the animal that attacked Jennifer couldn't withstand the pressure and pieces are stuck in the wound."

"So?" Daryl was the first to voice his opinion as he looked at the veterinarian, wondering why he was wasting his time talking rather than helping Jen.

"I have to dig it out or the cut won't heal properly," Hershel said as he looked to each man making sure they understood the seriousness of the woman's condition. "It's a painful process and we used all of the anesthesia on Carl."

"We gotta get more." Shane spoke before thinking and then remembered what had happened last time. Luckily, Rick and Daryl quickly agreed with the man leaving no time to ponder on the past.

"We don't have time," Hershel tried to reason, to no avail. The four continued to argue as the men stood their ground saying they couldn't let Jennifer go through that kind of pain. They had already seen what it did to Carl and that was just one, she had three.

"Do it, dammit," Jennifer whispered catching the men's attention. They looked to each other then back at the glaring woman before Rick nodded and Hershel began to give orders.

"Daryl, Shane, I need you to hold her arms and legs. Make sure she doesn't move," the two men nodded as Daryl grabbed Jennifer's arms and Shane grasped her legs. "Rick I need you with me."

Hershel made his way over to Jennifer's side with Rick in tow. He secured his gloves before taking a deep breath and beginning.

Hershel dug one finger into the first of Jennifer's three cuts. He began dragging his finger down the jagged line collecting shards of claw as he did so.

This time, Jennifer could not hold back the scream that ripped from her throat. Daryl cringed at the shrill sound, trying to look anywhere but the woman's pained face. He felt the woman writhe in his grasp, trying to break free, but she had lost a lot of blood and she was too weak. She was sweating as she grounded her teeth and tried to keep herself together. It didn't work. She continued letting out screams as Hershel continued.

Shane was sweating as his slippery hands held down Jennifer's frantically kicking legs. He hated that she was going through this much pain and he couldn't do a thing to stop it, he could only hold her down as Hershel caused her more pain. He hated that he wasn't the one to save her. He was going about his business in camp when the commotion began and he was passed up by Daryl caring Jennifer's bloody body. _He _should have been the one caring her. But more than anything he hated that Jennifer went and did something so stupid, so dangerous without thinking about how her actions affect others.

Hershel finished the final cut and was swiftly able to remove his gloves and began stitching. The men that had been holding Jen relaxed their grip and backed away from the girl. Even though he was angry at the woman, Shane felt a smile on his face as he watched the woman's back heave upwards then back down. Her body was slick with sweat and her breathing was ragged but she was alive and that was all that mattered.

"It shouldn't take too long for her to recover." Hershel spoke. He had finished stitching and was now cleaning the wound on her head and applying a bandage to it. "She will be sore for a bit, but everything should be fine."

"Thank you," Shane said nodding to the man before walking out with Rick to go reassure the group that Jennifer was fine. The last thing Jennifer saw before she passed out was Daryl's glance back at her before leaving the room.

* * *

Hershel had called Patricia into the room so she could help apply the bandages to Jennifer's back. They were just exiting, leaving Jennifer alone on the room. As she sat there, her body slick with sweat, she recalled a distance memory.

_**Flashback**_

_"Jenny!" The scream rang through the house, making Jennifer spring into action. She jumped out of bed and followed the sound to the kitchen._

_"Mackenzie?" Jennifer called out as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. Their father was at work leaving the two girls home alone. "Oh my God!"_

_Laying on the floor was her sister's small body on the ground with a small pool of blood beginning to form around her head. Jennifer didn't hesitate She scooped up her sister's fragile body, grabbed her car keys, and ran to her car. She placed her sister in the back seat and drove to the hospital. _

_Jennifer waited for 20 minutes as she repeatedly tried to call her father. After 15 calls a doctor approached Jennifer. She quickly put up her phone and jumped up to meet the doctor._

_"Is she okay?" Jennifer asked._

_"Of course, Miss Sullivan," the doctor offered her a warm smile. He was an older man with gray hair and wrinkles from years of laughter. "She received stitches on the cut on her forehead but other than that she's fine. You can go see her."_

_Jennifer breathed out a sigh of relief as the doctor pointed her to her sister's room._

_"Jennifer!" Her sister's face lit up with excitement when she caught sight of her older sister. She then pointed at the short line of stitches across her forehead. She was sitting on a bed with her small legs dangling off the edge. "Look, I got five whole stitches."_

_"Yeah," Jennifer breathed out. Her relief was replaced with curiosity. "How exactly did this happen, anyways?"_

_"Well," the child began as she placed her hands on her thighs. "I was watching Spongebob. He was eating ice cream with Patrick. Dat's when I membered dat we have ice cream in the fweeza. I got really excited and ran to da kitchen. I tripped hit my head really hard against the edge of the counter. It hurted really bad."_

_She looked down as she ran her finger lightly against the cut._

_"But den you came and saved me." She looked up excited as Jennifer smiled at her. "When's daddy coming?"_

_The smile that had adorned Jennifer's face slowly faded. "I tried to call him, but he's busy at work." _

_"Oh," Mackenzie said as she looked down at her little hands. Jennifer hugged her little sister and rubbed her head trying to comfort the child. Their father was always so busy at work that Jennifer would have thought the child would have gotten used to it by now, Jennifer was certainly used to it._

* * *

"Is she going to be okay?" Sophia's soft voice reached Jennifer's ears.

_"_I hope so_," _Ca_r_ol said as she hugged her daughter close and kissed the top of her head before exiting the room. Jennifer had managed to turn on her side, during the periods when she was awake, and caught a glimpses of the mother and daughter leaving. She had had many visitors during the day, but he was unable to speak to them only catch glimpses of them and try to listen to their words with difficulty.

At one point, Hershel had come in to check her wounds. He had replaced the bandages on her back and forehead and gave her some painkillers that Maggie and Glenn had gotten from a pharmacy. He told her something about her recovering soon, but she didn't remember when he had said.

Not even a minute before the door squeaked closed, it opened back up. Slowly, Daryl made his way into the room. He had a piece of grass hanging out of his mouth and dirt stains all over him making him look like a true redneck.

Jennifer's eyes fluttered open as she watched him shut the door and make his way over to her. The light tap of glass on wood made Jennifer slightly look upwards. Resting on the bed side table was a glass bottle holding a flower. Jennifer had never seen a flower like this before, but she never really paid attention to the flowers around her. The flower was white with a yellow rim surrounding a light green center; it looked so out of place in the hands of the dirty, redneck Daryl.

As Jennifer's eyes moved from the flower she found them lingering on the redneck, watching him as he spoke. Curiosity is what Daryl found in her eyes so he began to explain.

"It's a Cherokee Rose." He said removing the piece of grass from his mouth with a filthy hand. His eyes darted from the flower for a second then back to Jennifer's big brown eyes. He found that the confusion still lingered in her eyes so he moved closer, ready to explain more thoroughly. "The story is that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on The Trail of Tears the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much 'cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation…" Daryl trailed off looking at the flower before taking in a breath and continuing his story. "A lot of them just disappeared. So the elders, they said a prayer; asked for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, give them strength and hope.

"The next day this rose started to grow right where the mother's tears fell." Daryl continued. He kind of turned away leaving Jennifer's gaze as he focused on the piece of grass in his hand before looking back at her and talking. "I'm not fool enough to think there's any flowers bloomin' for my brother. But, uh, I believe this one," Daryl motioned to the flower making Jennifer look back at it, "Bloomed for Sam."

A small smile stretched across Jennifer's lips as her tired eyes began to close. Daryl awkwardly turned away from her and left the sleeping girl's room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, I know it's been a long time and this chapter is kind of short but I just wanted to get something up :) Hope you like. Please tell me what you think I'm open to suggestions.**

* * *

Chapter 9:

Fire. Jennifer was surrounded by fire and bloodshed as she tried to escape the trap. She crawled on the ground, passing her dying squad members. They reached out for her but she only crawled past them without hesitation. When she looked into the eyes of her men all she could see were the families they had back home. She saw the pleading eyes of Donavan and thought of how he had three children back home and one on the way. She saw Andrew and thought back to how his children would scream with excitement when he returned and how they would weep when he left. She saw Fredrick who was only a few months from retirement. He had told them so much about how he and his wife were going to celebrate his retirement by going to Fiji; he had been so excited because they had never gone on a real vacation. Jennifer pushed these thoughts out of her mind as she focused on one thing and one thing only, her survival. Unfortunately, she was too slow and the flames that had been licking at her body now consumed her fully, filling her with tremendous pain.

Everything went dark and the scene changed. This time, Jennifer was in her childhood home. She stood before the cold fireplace in their family room. She heard a soft giggle that sent shivers up her spine. She began to follow the sound when her barefoot stepped in something warm and sticky. Her eyes slowly looked down as she lifted her foot to meet her fingers. She drug her two fingers over the ball of her foot, collecting the liquid on the. Jennifer brought the two up to her face and examined them. She knew what it was even before she smelt the metallic smell. She dropped her hand to her side and, slowly, her feet began moving her forward.

It was as if something possessed her. She couldn't control her body; only go along with it as it brought her down the narrow hallway. Her feet began to move faster and with each step she took the hallway seemed to get longer and longer. Eventually, Jennifer broke out of her trance and she felt herself break out into a full on sprint as she tried to reach the door. Her arms were pumping vigorously and she could feel her bare feet splashing through the pools of blood that had grown in size.

Jennifer reached her hand out, only inches from the door. She finally felt the cool metal knob in her hand and she twisted it so hard she almost broke it. As she broke through into the light, her body halted and waited for her mind to catch up.

Jennifer saw her little sister before her. The small girl's back was turned and her hair fell in a cascade of golden. Jennifer smiled as she approached Mackenzie. Her hand was outstretched and a smile was plastered on her face. That smile dropped when a cold feeling washed over Jennifer and she was frozen in her steps as her hand feel to her side, numb. The small girl before her turned to meet her and everything changed. A gloom washed over the scene and everything seemed darker.

Jennifer watched in horror with nothing to do but stare. The young child turned to fully show what she had become. Her skin was rotting, her cheek had a large chunk missing, revealing the small teeth of a child, and the worst of all though, was the once bright blue eyes were now bloodshot with a ferocious look of hunger.

Jennifer began backing away as her sister stood up, knocking the chair she had been sitting on over. Mackenzie was getting quicker and Jennifer started to get desperate. She was backing up so fast that her foot slipped on the blood covered ground and she was sent to the floor.

"No!" Jennifer yelled as she began backing up causing blood to cover her body. "No!"

Jennifer's back hit the wall and she desperately searched behind her, only to find that the door had disappeared. Her breathing was heavy and the smell of rotten flesh stung her nose. She continued to try to back up, even though she knew there was nowhere to go, as the snarling creature got closer.

"No!" Jennifer let out on last scream before the monster fell on her, taking a large chunk of flesh from her neck.

* * *

Jennifer awoke suddenly as her eyes snapped open and she took a deep breath in, which was followed by many short pants. Her body ached and was covered with a thin layer of sweat. As she slowly arose, the ache in her body got more noticeable and she was attacked by the bright sunshine shining through the window in front of her. She quickly moved to get out of bed when the abrupt pain crept up her back and she recalled the events that took place before she passed out. Upon realizing this, Jennifer mentally scolded herself for forgetting about what happened, but this was quickly shaken off when she heard the sound of the creaky front door opening and the beating sound of footsteps on the wooden floor.

Jennifer slowly got out of bed and made a move for the door; getting out of the bed left her breathing hard and just moving in general made her back screech in pain. Even with these obstacles, Jennifer made her way to the door, determined to get some answers to questions she didn't even know she had.

Just as she laid her trembling hand on the doorknob, it was off of it as the wooden door swung open, causing Jennifer to stumble back onto her butt. For a while she had forgotten about the wound that marked her head but that impact with the ground made her remember instantaneously as her head began to ache unlike anything she'd ever experienced.

"Ow!" Jennifer screeched as two sets of strong arms lifted her up and placed her, delicately, back into bed as if she were some porcelain doll that would crack if touched. Then, without hesitation, Hershel began examining her, starting by putting his cold, metal stethoscope under the plain shirt she wore. Jennifer jumped at the coldness and had a hard time comprehending what the elderly man was doing.

Once she realized what Hershel was doing, her attention moved to the three others currently occupying her room. One look at Rick's stern face and she knew she was in for it. '_Great_' she thought as she mentally rolled her eyes. She didn't need to be scolded and lectured as if she were a child, she knew what she did was stupid, but what could she say? Stupid hurts.

As her eyes left Rick's profile, they wandered to the one she didn't expect to be here, Daryl. She narrowed her eyes at the redneck wondering just what he was up to. He definitely didn't come here to tell her off and he for sure didn't care about her well-being. Or was he? '_No, don't be an idiot Jen. This hillbilly doesn't care about anything except his own survival.' _She thought as her head crooked slightly to the side. _'What's your game redneck?'_

The sound of Shane clearing his throat reminded Jennifer of what was going on around her.

"What the hell was that about, Jen?" Shane asked before anyone else had the chance to speak up.

"Well," She began, looking down at her fingers that were now intertwined. "I was in the woods and I was attacked by a panther. It was just roaming the forest, must've escaped from a zoo or something."

"You know that's not what I mean." She looked up and was met with Shane's big brown eyes. His face looked stern, but his chocolate eyes told her different. They did hold anger but there was also confusion, frustration and hurt.

Jennifer let out a sigh as Hershel began to inspect the wound on her head. "I heard you over heard say something about not going to look for Sam until tomorrow. I couldn't wait that long so I decided to take matters into my own hands and search myself."

"You could have died," Rick spoke up.

"But I didn't." Sam said casually.

"But you could've." Rick threw back.

"And I didn't." Jennifer said getting more and more aggravated.

"Bu-" Rick began but was cut off as Jennifer began to speak.

"Look, I don't need the three of you coming in here a lecturing me. Yeah, I could have died, but I didn't and that's all that really matters now." Jennifer snapped looking at each one of them. Shane put his head into his hand as he ran the other one up and down his nearly shaven head, Rick stared at the foot of the bed nodding at something, and Daryl kept his place leaned back against the wall silently taking in the scene. Hershel, who Jennifer hadn't really been paying attention to, had replaced the bandage around her head and was now steadily listening to the conversation, even though the room was now cloaked in silence.

"Why?" Shane broke the silence as he raised his head from his head a small amount. As if he sensed her confusion, he continued. "Why is this girl so important to you? I get it, she's a little girl all alone out in the woods and we wanna find her too. But why is it that you're willing to put your life on the line and put yourself in situation you shouldn't come out of just for her?"

Jennifer bit her lip as her gaze dropped back down to her hands. That was the inevitable question. She knew it was coming and she had hoped it would be later, at least to give her enough time to deal with the inner demons that followed. Jennifer let out a breath and lifted her gaze to the men before her. "She reminds me of my sister."

Confusion flashed over their face and Jennifer let out a sigh.

"Guess I'll have to explain." She said looking back down. She already felt exhausted.


	10. Chapter 10

**Please review I'm willing to take suggestion hope you enjoy thanks for reading. :)**

* * *

Chapter 10:

"I guess I'll have to explain." Jennifer said as she lowered her gaze down to her fingers once more. This was going to be really tough on her but she knew she had to buck up and get through it.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Jennifer sat in her first grade class as she colored with the other children, her dark hair was still long, only it was braided in two pig tails that her mother had done for her that morning. _

"_Excuse me, Mrs. Smith, could you send Jennifer Sullivan to the office prepared to leave?" The nasally voice suddenly came on the intercom. _

"_Of course." Their teacher said in a peppy voice as she was cut off by the sound of the intercom going off. The teacher went to help Jennifer collect her things as the small girl struggled to get her backpack on._

"_Look, Mrs. Smith!" Jennifer held up the picture she had drawn to show her teacher. "It's a picture for my mommy." The picture consisted of two stick figures, one short and the other tall, with the words "To Mommy" scribbled at the top._

"_I'm sure she'll love it," Mrs. Smith told Jennifer before the small girl scuttled out of the classroom, her book sack covering at least half of her small, childish body. She raced down the hall excited about getting checked out. It was a Friday afternoon and she was ready to get home because her mother promised to take her to the beach that weekend. _

_As she approached the office, she slowed her pace and walked in with a big smile on her face. She was greeted with something unexpected, in the office stood her Aunt Shelly with a sad look on her face. The principle of Jen's school stood there clutching the woman's hand. The smile Jennifer wore fell from her face and was replaced with confusion as the adults in the room took noticed to the small child._

_The principle was the first to approach as she bent over and wrapped her arms around the girl. She let go then walked over to Shelly and hugged her, whispering something that Jennifer couldn't hear. After that, Shelly quickly grabbed Jennifer's hand and walked her to the car as the woman's eyes began to fill with tears. _

_The small child in the backseat continued adding small details to her mother's picture as they drove to her home. Shelly tried to tell the young girl the news but every time she looked at her small, innocent self in the backseat, she lost all courage and her eyes once again filled with tears._

_They made it home and before Shelly could do anything, the young child was already out of the car and running for the front door of her house. _

"_Mommy!" she yelled as she barged into the house. Upon entering, the young Jennifer was faced with a sight she had never seen before. Her father sat on the couch with a box of Kleenexes next to him and red eyes. Tissues littered the floor and she could hear the sniffling from her father. Jennifer's young mind didn't register what was going on and soon, she was running to her father yelling, "Daddy! Daddy!"_

_The girl climbed onto the couch and quickly hugged her father, before producing the paper labeled Mommy in messy handwriting. _

"_Look! Look what I drew for Mommy." She said as she smiled at him. _

"_That's nice." He said in a raspy voice as he tried to fight back the tears threatening to spill. Luckily, Shelly walked in and quickly escorted Jennifer to her room before her father broke into yet another spell of tears._

* * *

_Jennifer crept down the hall slowly as she clutched her mother's drawing in her hand. She had been cooped up in her room for hours and she was curious as to when her mother would be home._

"_Daddy?" Jennifer asked the hunched over figure on their couch. "When's mommy getting home? She promised me she would take me to the beach."_

"_What is wrong with you?" Her father spoke in a shaky voice as he looked at his daughter, anger boiling inside of him. "You are so selfish! Your mother just died and all your worried about is your stupid little beach trip!" _

_By then the man had risen from his place on the couch and now towered over the defenseless girl. _

"_What do you mean, Daddy?" Jennifer asked in a shaky, confused voice._

"_I mean, that your mother is dead and it's all your fault!" He yelled making the girl back up quickly only to have her stumble and land on her bottom. "She was rushing to come get you for your stupid little trip and she was hit full on by another vehicle."_

_Slick tears ran down Jennifer's face as her father explained what had happened to her mother. Soon, she had a steady sob as she realized her mother wasn't coming home, ever._

"_That's right! Cry! Because it's all your fault." This time her father didn't yell it, he spoke in a steady voice that only emphasized the effect of his words on the child._

_Quickly, Jennifer got up from the ground and darted for her room, leaving behind the picture she was so excited to give her mother. She closed herself in her room and buried herself amongst her many stuffed animals as she cried herself to sleep. _

_End Flashback_

* * *

"From that day on, my father just kind of tuned out and I was left to be raised by my aunt." Jennifer explained looking down at her fingers, as she had done throughout the story.

"That's a sad story now, Jen, but it doesn't explain why you're so attached to some little girl you don't even know." Shane said looking at Jennifer wide eyed.

"I was getting to that," Jennifer hissed as she lifted her eyes. Shane was met with a sharp glare that sent shivers down his spine. The glare left Jennifer's face quicker than it had appeared as she continued on with her story. "After I graduated high school, I joined the military and slowly worked my way up to become a respected Captain. On my tenth year, I got news from my father that he and a woman had had another child. I quickly rushed back home, taking a short break from the military.

"When I returned home, I was saddened to find out that the mother of my father's new child had run off with some other man. Oddly though, my father was the farthest thing from sad, he was happier than I had ever seen him and I was happy for him. With my father working such late hours, I decided to retire from the military and help him raise the child. I spent the majority of 3 years raising her, so we became pretty attached."

The men in the room, Hershel, Daryl, Rick, and Shane took a moment to take in the woman's story. A silence hung in the air as everyone was left to their own thoughts.

"What happened to your sister?" Rick asked breaking the silence.

"Well…" Jennifer said, obviously not comfortable with that topic.

* * *

_Flashback_

"_Mackenzie! I'm home!" Jennifer called out as she kicked the door closed. She quickly made her way to the kitchen, setting down the groceries she had just bought. She could already her to loud footsteps as Mackenzie made her way to the kitchen._

"_Jenny!" Jennifer heard as Mackenzie threw her arms around the tall woman. Jennifer smiled as she lifted the six year old from the ground and rested her on her hip. The child wrapped her arms around Jen's neck as she kissed her cheek. That's when Jen noticed the large white bandage that consumed her sister's arm._

"_What's this?" Jennifer questioned, nodding her head at the bandage._

"_Well," the girl began to explain. "I was at Jamie's house and the meanie head bit me! His mommy sent him to his room before she fixed my bobo. And guess what! I barely even cried." She explained as if it were nothing at all._

"_Well that's good, but maybe I should take a peek at it just to be safe." Jennifer said in a stern yet caring tone._

"_Okey dokey," The child said with a smile. _

_Jennifer sat Mackenzie on the kitchen counter as she slowly unwrapped the bandage. As she revealed the wound, Jennifer visibly paled. It was more of a gash than a bite mark really; it looked as if the boy had taken a chunk from her arm, a small chunk but it still looked painful._

_Ring Ring Ring_

_The sounded of Jennifer's cellphone ringing brought her back into reality as she whipped it out of her back pocket and answered it, not even checking who it was._

"_Jennifer?" she recognized the voice on the other end as her father's._

"_Dad?" Jennifer rested the phone between her shoulder and ear as she began to wrap Mackenzie's arm back up._

"_Jennifer, where are you? Are you safe? Is Mackenzie with you?" The onslaught of questions took Jennifer by surprise and she had to take a minute to collect her thoughts._

"_I'm at the house. Yes. And Mackenzie is sitting right in front of me."_

_She heard her father let out a sigh before he continued. "Good. Now I'm going to need you to do exactly what I tell you."_

_Jennifer didn't have time to agree before her father was giving her orders._

"_I want you to lock all the doors and keep you and your sister inside. Under no circumstances should you let anyone in." Jennifer was moving from door to door, even checking the windows, to make sure everything was locked down tight. _

"_Okay, everything's locked up. Now are you going to tell me what all of this is about?"_

"_Jennifer, I just want you and Mackenzie to know that I love both of you." He whispered before the line went dead._

"_Dad? Dad?!" Jennifer shouted to the dead line. She quickly removed the phone from her ear and tried to callback her father, it went straight to voicemail. Jennifer grabbed her sister off of the counter and rushed to the living room flipping on the television to the first news channel she saw._

"_For those of you just tuning in, we have reports of dead bodies rising from the dead and coming to life. The cause of these odd disturbances is unknown but we advise all viewers to stay indoors and avoid contact with the infected." The newsman spoke to the camera._

"_Jenny?" Mackenzie's scared voice reached Jennifer from her spot on the couch. "What's going on? Where's Daddy?"_

_Jennifer took her sister in her arms and kissed the top of her head._

"_Don't worry, Kenzie. Everything's going to be okay."_

* * *

_Jennifer peeked through the curtains of the living room. The sun had set and now all she could was the dark shadows that slowly creeped through the night. Occasionally, she caught a glimpse of one of the monsters in the dim light of a street lamp. _

"_Jenny." Her sister groaned from her position on the couch. Jennifer swiftly left the curtain to attend to her sister. Jennifer crept through the dark room to the couch that sat in front of the television. Jennifer had noticed that more of the creatures flocked around the house when the lights were on so she turned off all of the lights and opted to light a few candles. Jennifer was by her sister's side pressing her hand to the child's forehead. "It hurts."_

"_I know." Jennifer said removing her head from her sister's sweat covered head. Her fever hadn't gone down since she mysteriously got it and Jennifer was starting to worry. She tried to get in contact with anyone she could, but no one picked up, not even 911. Even all of the news station had tuned out hours ago. "Just… Just try to think about something else."_

"_Okay." Mackenzie whispered as she slowly drifted into a sleep. Jennifer smiled and went into the kitchen to assess what food they had; there was no telling how long they would be there. She made her way into the pantry when she heard a noise. She quickly exited the pantry to find Mackenzie standing in the entrance to the kitchen._

"_You should really go back to sleep." Jennifer said making her way over to her sister. The child matched her pace and grabbed Jennifer's outstretched arm with a strength Jennifer didn't know the child contained. Just as Mackenzie opened her mouth to bite the woman's arm, Jennifer retracted it with a confused look. _

_Mackenzie made another grab at her but Jennifer dodged it. Again, Mackenzie tried to grab at Jennifer and Jennifer was able to successfully dodge but didn't realize how bad her foot placement was until she found herself sprawled out on the floor._

_Mackenzie took this opportunity to crawl on top of the woman. Jennifer was shocked at how strong the child was and had a difficult time restraining her. Suddenly, Mackenzie went for Jennifer's neck opening her mouth so she could take a big chunk from her neck._

"_No!" Jennifer yelled as she kicked the child off of her. Mackenzie went flying back, successfully ramming the back of her head into the edge from the counter. The sound of skull being broken sent chills down Jennifer's spine as she watched her little sister fall to the ground. _

_Jennifer stared wide-eyed at the corner that had just punctured her sister's skull. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears and she watched the black liquid, she assumed was blood, drip from the edge to the pool that surrounded her sister's body. Jennifer trembled in terror, in all her years she had never seen something as horrendous as this._

_As if seeing the lifeless body of her sister had triggered something, Jennifer quickly realized what she had just done. She collected the bloodied child in her arms, looking her over to see if there was something, anything she could do to bring her back. _

_The tears that had filled Jennifer's eyes now steadily fell as she gasped for air. How could she have done that?! She just killed her sister! Thoughts like this ran through Jennifer's mind as she clutched her sister's body to her chest. _

_End Flashback_

_._


End file.
